


Vindicta|Fallout: New Vegas.

by wan_hxda



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas, Video Games - Fandom
Genre: Dead Money DLC, F/M, Fallout New Vegas - Freeform, Honest Hearts DLC, Independent New Vegas (Fallout), Lonesome Road DLC, New Vegas, Old World Blues DLC, The Divide (Fallout)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2020-12-16 05:47:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 49,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21031241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wan_hxda/pseuds/wan_hxda
Summary: Eleanor's life is foggy before she was dug up from a grave by a robot. Only able to remember her name and age. She learns who shot her and is out for revenge, but along the way Eleanor will learn some of her past and heritage. She will make choices that will shape the Mojave for many years. You shouldn't play with fire, but Eleanor she's always liked to play with fire if it gets her vindicta. [Uyless x f!Courier Six.]Story Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7uwCBGWodwQx8Bv1LLICf8?





	1. Ain't That A Kick In The Head.

"War. War never changes. When atomic fire consumed the earth, those who survived did so in great, underground vaults. When they opened, their inhabitants set out across ruins of the old world to build new societies, establish new villages, forming tribes.

As decades passed, what had been the American southwest united beneath the flag of the New California Republic, dedicated to old-world values of democracy and the rule of law. As the Republic grew, so did it's needs. Scouts spread east, seeking territory and wealth, in the dry and merciless expanse of the Mojave Desert. They returned with tales of a city untouched by the warheads that had scorched the rest of the world, and a great wall spanning the Colorado River.

The NCR mobilized its army and sent it east to occupy the Hoover Dam, and restore it to working condition. But across the Colorado, another society had arisen under a different flag. A vast army of slaves, forged from the conquest of 86 tribes: Caesar's Legion.

Four years have passed since the Republic held the Dam - just barely - against the Legion's onslaught. The Legion did not retreat. Across the river, it gathers strength. Campfires burned, training drums beat.

Through it all, the New Vegas Strip has stayed open for business under the control of its mysterious overseer, Mr. House, and his army of rehabilitated Tribals and police robots. A package was supposed to be delivered and never arrived. For there was a bullet, a gun, and a grave."

"You got what you were after, so pay up." Eleanor heard a voice as she came to, her vision was blurry as she spotted three figures. Two looked like great khans and another was in a checkered suit. She looked down to see her wrist bound, tugging trying to get free of them her eyes widened suddenly.

"You're crying in the rain, pally." The checkered man said. Where the fuck was the package? Who the hell was the checkered guy? She got a bad feeling she was in deep shit. Eleanor was used to getting in trouble. She was a troublemaker and a courier. It was normal....but this wasn't the usual.

"Guess who's waking up over here?" One of the khans smirked. She watches as the checkered man takes a drag from his cigarette before putting it out.

"Time to cash out." The checkered man began, she tried to speak but her mouth was covered. Damn assholes gagged her.

"Would you get it over with?" The Khan huffed annoyed with the theatrics. 

"Maybe Khans kill people without looking them in the face, but I ain't a fink, dig?" He looked at the Khan raising his hand, as he removed a small chip from his suit. Oh no, oh shit. Was the only thing running through her mind right now. "You've made your last delivery, kid." He told her as he put the chip back in his coat pocket. Her eyes widened as the man pulls a gun from his pocket. Freezing Eleanor just stared at him wide eyed and afraid. "Sorry you got twist up in this scene, but from where you're kneeling it must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck." The checkered man spoke as Eleanor came to her senses. She was gonna face death with dignity. She glared fiercely at the man and made a promise. If she survived she was going to burn his ass and if she died she was gonna haunt him. "Truth is...the game was rigged from the start." She gave him one last glare as he pointed the gun and her whole world went black.

-8-

What happened? Who was she? Her body was sore and her head was pounding. It felt like she was on a bed. She moved her fingers as she heard shuffling. Opening her eyes slowly she looked above at a ceiling fan. Where the hell was she? Was she dead? Why did her head hurt so much? A thing was imprinted in her mind a chip. 

"You're awake. How about that." An older voice suddenly spoke up, she turned her head slowly as she saw an older white haired man. 

"Is this hell?" She asked groggily.

"Now, I don't think Goodspring's is that bad." He chuckled at her response. She slowly tried to sit up as the man stopped her. "Whoa, easy there. Easy. You been out cold a couple of days now." The man put out a hand to stop her as she sat up. "Why don't you just relax a second? Get your bearings." He suggested to her, she slowly nodded.

"What happened to me?" She asked the man, rubbing her head only to feel a bandage around it.

"Now I don't want to panic or anything, so let's start with the basics." He began to say. "Let's see what the damage is. How about your name? Can you tell me your name, dear?" The man asked kindly and calmly. Patiently waiting for her response. She opened her mouth but stopped. A something came to her...a name like he wanted. Eleanor. That was it! That was her name.

"Eleanor." She said slowly. "But I like to be called El or Ellie." Eleanor quickly added as she remembered.

"Can't say it's what I'd have picked for you. But if that's your name, that's your name." He joked with the young woman. She smiled a bit at that. "I'm messing with you. Eleanor's a fine name." The man added. "Now what's your age, Eleanor? Can you tell me that?" He asked, frowning she thought for a moment before something came too. She was twenty-two.

"I'm twenty-two." She answered him. She looked at him. "Whats your name?"

"I'm Doc Mitchell. I mentioned this earlier, but you're in Goodsprings. So, welcome to Goodsprings." He introduced as she nodded.

"So, can you tell me now what happened?" She inquired.

"I hope you don't mind, Eleanor, but I had to go rooting around there in your noggin to pull all the bits of lead out." He explained to her.

"Lead?!" She exclaimed, wincing in pain as her head throbbed, putting a hand to her head.

"Relax." He ordered calmly, as she complied. "Don't worry. I take pride in my needlework, Eleanor. Tell me if anything looks wrong." He handed her a mirror as she looked in it. Everything seemed the same, she assumed. Except she would have a scar on her head for a very long time. She turned her head a looked towards a machine down the ways of the room. 

"My vision in my right eye is a little blurry. I can see that machine okay, can't read the words on it though." She admitted as the Doc nodded.

"I expected so, besides that memory loss you seem to have, your right eye isn't going to be at 100% like your left. Another consequence that bullet made." He sighed. "I would suggest glasses, but if you're good with your left you should do fine and you can see okay with your right." Mitchell told her crossing his arms. He slowly stood up as Eleanor placed the mirror down. "Okay, Eleanor. No sense keeping you in bed anymore. Let's see if we can get you on your feet." He said to her, he walked over to her, grabbing her arms as he helped her stand. Eleanor shook her head as she felt dizziness coming on. The two stood there for a moment before Mitchell took a step back feeling she could stand on her own. "Good. Why don't you walk down to the end of the room? Over by that vigor tester machine there." He pointed out. "Okay, take it slow, Eleanor. It ain't a race." Mitchell said to her.

"Alright, catch me if I pass out." She breathed.

"Don't worry, I'll be right behind you." He promised, nodding Eleanor took slow steps towards the machine. Holding her breath as she went. "Breath, Eleanor. Breath." Mitchell coached as she nodded. Breathing in and out she continued, she stumbled, but luckily didn't fall over as she came to the machine.

"Well, I made it." Eleanor commented as Mitchell went to her side.

"You're doing fine, Eleanor." He reassured her.

"Thanks, Doc." She smiled shortly.

"You're looking good so far." He commented. "I want you to go ahead and give that vigor tester a try. We'll learn right quick if you got back all your faculties." Mitchell suggested to her.

"Test my brain?" She asked.

"Exactly." He nodded. After messing with the tester, Eleanor took a small step back and looked at the Doc.

"So....how'd I do?" Eleanor questioned the Doc. 

"Well, aren't you a smart one. You scored high on the intelligence and charisma. Pretty good on strength. Alright on agility and endurance. Your small figure will help you run if you're in a fickle." He hummed as scratched his chin. "You might want to work on that luck and perception a bit more though." Mitchell added as she nodded.

"I'll take that into consideration." She chuckled.

"Well, we know your vitals are good." He told her. "But that don't mean them bullets didn't leave you nuttier than a Bighorner dropping." Mitchell spoke, gesturing for her to follow him.

"Are you calling me crazy, Doc?" She gasped in mock offense. He let out a small laugh as he shook his head. The two walked into his living room as he sat down in a chair.

"What do you say you take a seat on my couch and we go through a couple questions?" He gestured for her to take a seat, Eleanor sat down slowly. "See if your dogs are still barking." Getting comfortable the Doc turned to her and began. "All right, Eleanor. I'm gonna say a word. I want you to say the first thing that comes to mind."

"Okay, got it." She nodded.

"Dog." He started. Eleanor bit her lip before answering.

"Cat."

"House." He responded immediately. 

"Shelter." She answered him, he continued on going through the words as she would answer him in turn. After the words he went through a few statements, her agreeing or disagreeing with him. Then decided to show her pictures and she told him what they looked like.

"Well, that's all she wrote." He shrugged as they finished with the pictures. "I don't have nothing to compare it to, so maybe you'd better just have a look at the results. See if it seems right to you." He went to hand her something, she looked through it before giving it back to the Doc.

"Looks good to me, I guess." She said unsurely.

"Well, before I turn you loose, Eleanor. I need one more thing from you." Mitchell spoke up. "I got a form for you to fill out, so I can get a sense of your medical history." Eleanor gave the Doc a look as he waved his hand chuckling. "It's just a formality, dear. Ain't like I expect to find you got a family history of getting shot in the head." He added.

"But I don't remember much about before." She frowned.

"Just try your best." He smiled. He handed her the form as she tried her best to fill it out. She gave it to him after she finished. "All right. I guess that about it. I'll go get you some clothes and your stuff that was with you." He told her, he stood up and walked off. Eleanor tapped her finger's on her thigh as she waited. When he returned he handed her some stuff in a satchel belt with a holster attached and a gun. "Here. These are yours. Was all you had on you when you was brought in." Mitchell explained. He looked hesitant before saying more. "I hope you don't mind but I gave the note a look. I thought it might help me find a next of kin. But it was just something about a platinum chip." He told her, her face held recognization of the word. She remembered a chip. "Well, Eleanor, if you're heading back out there, you ought to have this." He picked up a pip-boy he brought with him from the ground. "They call it a pip-boy. I grew up in one of them vaults they made before the war. We all got one." Mitchell clarified. 

"Thanks." She smiled at him taking it. 

"Ain't much use to me now, but you might want such a thing, after what you been through. I know what it's like, have something taken from you." He said sympathetically. Eleanor gave the older man a sad look. He then handed her something that surprised her. "And put this on, too, so the locals don't pick on your for lacking modesty. Never was much my style anyway." He gave her a vault suit.

"Thank you, Doc. For patching me and taking care of my ass." She smiled as he chuckled.

"Don't mention it, Eleanor. It's what I'm here for." He waved her off. "Now go get changed," Mitchell told her. She nodded before heading back into the room where she was. She put on the vault suit and boots before clasping the pip-boy around her arm. She put the satchel around her waist and returned to the living room. "Now, you should talk to Sunny Smiles before you leave town. She can help you learn to fend for yourself in the desert. She'll likely be at the saloon. I reckon some of the other folks at the saloon might be able to help you out, too. And the metal fella, Victor, who pulled you outta your grave." He explained, so a robot pulled her out of the grave? The two walked to the front door together. "Anyway, you ever get hurt out there, you come right back. I'll fix you up." He smiled.

"Will do." She nodded.

"But try not to get killed anymore." He gave her a look.

"Can't make any promises, Doc." She joked as he chuckled. She tucked the gun in her holster. 

"Here, take some medicine for yourself." He handed it to her, taking it she put it in her satchel and nodded. "You can take off the bandage too." He added as she nodded removing the bandage slowly. "Healed nicely." He hummed, taking the used bandage from her. 

"Take care of yourself." She told the older man, she shook his hand as he nodded.

"You do the same." He smiled, as she opened the door and stepped outside closing the door behind her. She squinted as the bright light of the sun hit her eyes. Her hand went to her satchel as she counted the caps that were found on her. The Doc had mentioned what they were and it seemed she didn't remember her past, but she knew what the currency was and other things. She had about 350 caps. Wow. She was surprised who ever shot her didn't take them. She was surprised she had so much. She frowned and took out the paper that was with her and read it. She was delivering a platinum chip to New Vegas Strip. Huh. She was a courier, guess the money came from that, but she needed more money. She began making her way towards the saloon as she spotted it. She needed a bigger satchel, another gun, some grenades maybe. Some food as well and drinks. She could get that from the saloon or that general store. She turned on her pip-boy and began playing the radio. Bursting out tunes she smiled to herself, but came to a sharp stop as she almost slammed into a metal....robot?!

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed.

"Howdy, pardner!" The robot exclaimed happily. "Might I say, you're looking fit as a fiddle." He complimented, wait this must be the robot that dug her up!

"Wait....you're the robot who dug me up!" She realized.

"I am!" He seemed to smile.

"Well, thanks for digging me out of that hell hole of a grave." She breathed, smiling.

"Don't mention it! I'm always ready to lend a helping hand to a stranger in need." He said brightly, wasn't he perky one for a robot.

"How did you happen to find me though?" She frowned.

"I was out for a stroll that night when I heard the commotion up at the old bone orchard. Saw what looked like a bunch of bad eggs so I laid low." He began to explain to her. "Once they'd run off, I dug you up to see if you were still kicking. Turns out, you were, so I hauled you off to the Doc right quick." He finished.

"Well, I seem to be stubborn and put up a fight." She chuckled to herself. "But do you know who those men were who attacked me?" Eleanor asked quickly.

"Can't say that I'm familiar with the rascals. Some of the fine folks in town might be able to help you out with that." He told the young woman, as she nodded.

"I've never seen a robot like you before." She admitted, she was confused.

"I'm a Securitron." He began her eyes widening in realization. "RobCo security model 2060-B. If you ever see any of my brothers, tell them Victor says howdy." Victor smiled.

"Quick question. How did you end up in Goodsprings, Victor? You just don't come across a Securitron out here like you very often." She rationalized crossing her arms.

"I moseyed into town, oh, ten, fifteen years ago?" He hummed as her eyes widened. Okay, so he'd been around a while in this town. "Before that, I....hmmm, I can't quite seem to recall. Odd." She assumed he was frowning, that was odd. Her excuse for memory loss was being shot in the head, but then again he was a Securitron probably reprogrammed, he was RobCo, they're pretty easy to mess with. Wait....how-Mitchell did say her brain power was her biggest things with the machine test. Guess she was good with electronics. She hoped she was good with medicine. Might be helpful.

"Well, thanks again, Victor, but I better go. I got one shitty eye and I have to learn how to survive." She smiled as the Securitron let out a laugh. "Oh, by the way, my names Eleanor, but you can call me El or Ellie." Eleanor added.

"Happy trails, Ellie!" He exclaimed, waving to her as she continued on over to the saloon. She nodded to an old man sitting outside the saloon on a porch as she opened the door and stepped inside turning off her radio. She jumped back in shock as she heard barking and turned to see a dog barking at her and growling. A woman sitting a table suddenly stood up and shouted at the dog.

"Cheyenne, stay." She commanded, the dog quieted down and sat next to her owner. "Don't worry, she won't bite unless I tell her to." The woman chuckled at the wary look on Eleanor's face.

"Um....Doc Mitchell said you could teach me to survive in the desert." Eleanor inquired, realizing this must be Sunny Smiles.

"Yeah, I guess there's a thing or two I could show you. Sounds like you need all the help you can get after what they done to you." She nodded. "Meet me outside, behind the saloon or follow me." She told the woman. "I'm Sunny Smiles by the way." Sunny introduced herself.

"Eleanor, you can call me El or Ellie." Eleanor responded, she then followed the woman outside.

"Nice to meet you, El." She smiled as they walked, the two came to the back of the saloon, Eleanor spotted a couple bottles on top of a fence. "Now, see those sarsaparilla bottles on that fence there?" Sunny inquired, as she handed her a varmint rifle. "Take this and try to hit a couple of 'em." She suggested.

"Okay, but my right eye has poor vision." She shrugged.

"When I handed it to you, which hand grabbed it unconsciously, like a habit." She asked the woman. Eleanor looked down at her hands to see it resting in her left. 

"My left." She stated.

"Okay, so you're left-hand dominant, El." Sunny said. "People I've come across left handed will always be left eye dominant, it's not super common they're left handed, right eyed. So just use your left. Your right might've been dominant before, I don't know, but your left has to be the dominant one now." She explained to Eleanor who nodded. Breathing Eleanor nodded, before pointing the gun. It took her a couple shots before she hit a bottle. "That's the right idea, El. Look down the sight." She suggested, nodding Eleanor looked down the sight, it was much easier and surprisingly easy with her left eye as she shot down the second one with a little more ease. "Try crouching down and staying still." Eleanor did that and shot down the third one. "Nice shot." She hummed as Eleanor stood, putting the rifle on her back.

"Thanks." She nodded.

"Well, that's a start. But I don't reckon you came to me to learn to fight sarsaparilla bottles." She teased slightly as Eleanor chuckled. "Tell you what, Eleanor. I gotta go chase geckos away from our water supply anyway. Darn critters are attracted to it Why don't you come along?" Sunny suggested to her. Eleanor nodded at the woman and agreed. 

"Okay, I'm in."


	2. Ringo and the Powder Idiots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks to Athia Dovahkiin (on quotev) for so many ideas and being supportive in her excitement for this story. XD I honestly wanted to make this, because there is so little FNV fanfics. I'm trying to be careful when writing this. Just tell me if I ever write a character OOC. Also yes Eleanor's face-claim is Zoe Saldana. I wanted to write two chapters cause I was feeling creative, plus now Eleanor has left Goodsprings and going after Benny Butthurt's ass. I look forward to writing more and showing you more of my lovely courier Eleanor.
> 
> \- nikkie.

"Follow me. It's just down to the southeast a short ways." Sunny told Eleanor as she put her rifle away and whistled to her dog to follow. Eleanor began following the woman to their destination. Eleanor opened her mouth to speak but shook her head. "Whats up?" Sunny asked noticing she opened her mouth. Eleanor wanted to say something else but opted for something that was actually unimportant in her mind.

"I want to get some items, another satchel, weapons, and food and drink. Best places?" She asked the woman.

"General Store for weapons and satchel. Food and drink the saloon." Sunny replied with a short smile. The two women continued on walking as Sunny put up a hand to stop Eleanor. "We're here." She informed her, as they stopped behind a boulder near a ridge. Eleanor frowned as she heard hissing. "Hear that up on the ridge behind me there?" Sunny pointed out as Eleanor nodded. "We got some geckos to clear out."

"Sounds fun." Eleanor commented sarcastically making Sunny chuckle.

"Bunch of little monsters is what they are. Seems like Doc Mitchell treats more gecko bites than anything else." Sunny told her with a shrugged.

"I'm going to try not get myself back there just after getting better." Eleanor spoke.

"Yeah." Sunny agreed. "Let's see if we can get a little closer. If we move quietly, we can get the jump on 'em. More likely to hit something vital that way." She suggested as Eleanor nodded in agreement.

"All right, sounds like a plan." She said as both women crouched down. The two began sneaking towards the ridge and water supply. Eleanor's eyes widened as she spotted two geckos. She looked at Sunny who nodded. Both raised their guns and aimed. The geckos fell as the bullets ripped through them killing them instantly. "Looks like that was it." Eleanor stood up and looked around as she spotted no more geckos. 

"Good job, El." Sunny praised smiling. "You're getting the hang of it. There's two more wells that still need clearing. You want, you can come along. It'd be worth a few caps to me." She proposed to the woman.

"Okay, I'm up for it." Eleanor nodded, the two women went off and took care of the rest of the wells. After finishing Eleanor put her gun back on her back. 

"Now that was some good work." Sunny whistled. "Even got a little exciting there at the end. Here's a little spending money for the trouble." She handed Eleanor 50 caps. She now had 400 caps. She could take on more jobs here in Goodsprings before leaving and get more. "One more thing I wanted to show you. Thought I might teach you about living off the land, and making useful things for yourself. Interested?" Sunny inquired.

"Alright, couldn't hurt." Eleanor nodded. Sunny told her what to do and she gathered the ingredients before returning. She searched the school house where she found some ingredients and got some items. Sunny had given her lock picks and she found she was pretty damn good with them. She got a stealth boy and caps. About 25, but worth it. She ran into some geckos and other ugly shit. Sunny was very helpful and Eleanor learned she was very good with medicine. Sunny was very impressed and taught Eleanor all she knew. It was very useful to her and Eleanor was extremely glad to learn this for her sake.

"Well, I hope that's enough to get you started." Sunny breathed.

"Thanks, this has been very helpful." Eleanor told the woman.

"I'm heading back now, El. You can come back with me if you want. Hope I didn't miss anything good on the jukebox. Cheyenne would never forgive me." She spoke as Eleanor chuckled at that, patting the dog on the head. "Hey, do me a favor, Eleanor. Trudy - she's the bartender up at the Prospector, kind of the town mom - she likes to meet newcomers. She'd be cross with me if I didn't ask you to poke your head in and say hi." Sunny smirked resting a hand on her hip as Eleanor nodded.

"I will make sure to say hi to mom." She joked making Sunny laugh. The two separated we they got to the saloon, Eleanor made her way over to the bar as she saw who she assumed was Trudy talking to a man, actually more like arguing.

"I'm done being nice. If you don't hand Ringo over soon, I'm going to get my friends and we're burning this town to the ground, got it?" The guy threatened Trudy, Eleanor growled, she did not like bullies. 

"We'll keep that in mind. Now, if you're not going to buy something, get out." Trudy ordered annoyed. As the man walked away angrily he shoved into Eleanor. 

"What the hell is your problem?" He glared at her as she clenched her fist.

"I'm sorry, she told you to get out, dickweed." Eleanor said to the man who huffed at her before leaving. Her anger simmering down she went over to the counter where Trudy was.

"Well, you've been causing quite a stir." Trudy spoke up as she looked at her. "Glad I finally got to meet you. Welcome to the Prospector Saloon." She greeted warmly as Eleanor smiled.

"I'm Eleanor, you can me El or Ellie." Eleanor introduced herself.

"Trudy, though you probably already know." The older woman chuckled.

"I overheard your argument. What was that all about?" Eleanor frowned, the guy gave off a bad vibe. Plus he was a dick who shoved into her just cause he was pissy.

"It looks like our town got itself dragged into the middle of something we don't want anything to do with." She sighed as began to explain to Eleanor. "About a week ago, this trader, Ringo, comes into town. Survivor of an attack, he says. Bad men after, needs a place to hide. We figured he was just in shock, so we gave him a place to lie low. We didn't actually expect anyone to come after him." Trudy admitted.

"So, where is Ringo now, Trudy?" Eleanor questioned.

"He's holed up at the abandoned gas station up the hill." She answered Eleanor, Eleanor was hoping to get supplies and leave, but she might as well help them before she goes.

"Then what are you going to do? I mean I don't mind helping you before I go." Eleanor told the woman.

"Some of the others, like Sunny, will probably stand up for Ringo if he asks for help, which he hasn't, Eleanor." Trudy said to her. "Personally, I hope he sneaks out of town one night and takes the Powder Gangers with him." She confesses to Eleanor.

"Wait-Powder Gangers? Like that guy that was in here?" She questioned.

"Well, chain gangs, really. The NCR brought them in from California to work on rail lines." Trudy explained. "Problem is, it turns out that giving convicts a bunch of dynamite and blasting powder isn't the best idea." She hummed.

"Yeah, what could go wrong." Eleanor snorted sarcastically, Trudy nodded in agreement at her sarcasm.

"Was a big escape not too long ago. Some of 'em stuck together so they could make trouble. That's what we're dealing with now. The guy who was in here arguing with me, his name is Joe Cobb." Trudy finished telling her.

"Great, so you're dealing with Powder Idiots." She mumbled. "Well, looks like I've got some stuff to do before I go. Thanks, Trudy." Eleanor nodded as she glanced at her radio.

"No problem, Eleanor. By the way, you help Ringo you'd get a decent reputation around here and a discount from me, but you'd piss off the Powder Gangers too." The woman said as Eleanor shrugged in a nonchalant way making Trudy shake her head amused.

"Need any help with the radio there?" She inquired.

"I'd pay you in caps if you fix the damn thing." Trudy told her, nodding Eleanor got to work on the radio as she opened her mouth.

"Hey, Trudy. After this I'm going track down the dickhead's who shot me-" Eleanor began Trudy snorting at her word usage. "Know anything about them?" She asked.

"Not much, other than they're a bunch of freeloaders who expected a few rounds on the house." Trudy informed Eleanor, who continued working on the radio. "I was able to get them to pay up, though. Of course, one of the Great Khans did knock my radio to the floor "by accident," and it hasn't been working since, but thanks for working on it, Eleanor." She smiled at her, as Eleanor frowned....Great Khans that sounded familiar. She knew they were a tribe....but for some reason, they meant more to her? She wasn't sure.

"Did my attackers say where they were going any chance?" She wore a hopeful look on her face.

"They were having some kind of argument about it, but the guy in the checkered coat kept shushing them. Sounded like they came in from the north through Quarry Junction. If that's the case I can't say I blame them for not wanting to go back." Trudy answered leaning against the counter.

"Wait, why is that?" Eleanor looked at her confused.

"That whole area's overrun with kind of critters that just get mad if you shoot 'em." Trudy told her. "Merchants avoid that whole stretch of I-15 like it's radioactive. Which it could be for all I know."

"So where were they headed?" She looked back at Trudy.

"I didn't hear exactly, but the leader was talking about the Strip. Fella wants to get there and avoid the 15, he'd have to go east. Take Highway 93 up." She replied as Eleanor stood up, brushing her hands off on her vault suit.

"Well, your radio is fixed and thanks for the info, Trudy." She smiled.

"Nah, it's nothing, kid." She waved her off. "Oh, here's your payment." She handed her 75 caps which surprised Eleanor. "Don't look surprised, you're going help this town you deserve it." Trudy smiled, as Eleanor nodded and put the caps away, she waved to Trudy before leaving the saloon and walking up towards the gas station. Eleanor opened the door and stepped inside only to come face to face with a gun. Again. Really?

"That's close enough." The man threatened she sighed, this must be Ringo. "Who are you and what do you want with me?" He questioned.

"My name is Eleanor and I'm not apart of the Powder Idiots, you moron." She rolled her eyes. "So I'm not the enemy, you know. If that's what you're asking." Eleanor gave him a look as Ringo began to relax realizing she wasn't a Powder Ganger.

"Sorry about the gun. You just caught me off guard, that's all." He admitted sheepishly, putting the gun away. "We got off to a bad start. What say we start over with a friendly game of Caravan? You know how to play?" Ringo asked her.

"Sorry, Ringo as much as that sounds lovely. I'm here to help you take care of those Powder Gangers." She explained to him as his eyes widened. "Did you know there's a man named Joe Cobb looking for you?" Eleanor asked him.

"Yeah. He doesn't look very tough, though. I hear he's afraid I'll shoot him down from one of the windows when I see him, and he's right." He told her as she raised an eyebrow. "I'll have a much bigger problem once his friends show up. There's no way I could handle all of them in a gunfight." Ringo said to her as an idea popped into her head. A reckless idea.

"What are you going to do about the Powder Gangers?" She continued asking, as she formulated the plan in her head.

"I'm going to lay low for as long as I can, assuming the town doesn't throw me to the wolves. I've got no chance against the gang on my own." He sighed frustrated.

"What if I help you on that?" She smirked.

"All I've got left on me are a handful of caps, but you get me out of this and I'll make sure the Crimson Caravan pays you back. You've got my word." He swore to Eleanor.

"And you've got yourself an ally." She nodded. "So, what now?" Eleanor inquired.

"We'd just end up sharing the same grave if it's just the two of us." He began to tell her, as she gave him a look. 

"No shit, Ringo." She shook her head.

"Well, Sunny Smiles might be your best bet then." He told her.

"Got it, I'll be back." Eleanor spoke as she quickly left the gas station, she jogged back to the saloon as she ran in closing the door behind her as she spotted Sunny sitting at a booth. She slid into the other seat as she looked at the woman.

"Hey, El. Sticking around Goodsprings for awhile longer?" She grinned at her.

"Sunny, I'm going to help Ringo take on the powder gangers. I sure could use your fire power." Eleanor smiled mischievously. 

"Say no more. I'm in." Sunny nodded smirking.

"Well, that was easy as hell." Eleanor chuckled.

"Joe Cobb talks about leaving us alone if we hand over Ringo, but I know his type. He and his friends will come after the town eventually." Sunny explained, Eleanor, nodding along. "However, between you, me, and Ringo, we aren't exactly a force to be reckoned with. A lot of people around here look up to Trudy. If you could convince Trudy to join us, some of the folks in town might decide to help out as well."

"Okay, got it." Eleanor said.

"Also, I know Easy Pete's got a stock of dynamite somewhere, and Chet just got a shipment of leather armor we could borrow. Talk to them as well." She told her.

"Silver tongue to convince all of them. I know I could ask the Doc for meds." Eleanor said to Sunny who nodded.

"I'll keep an eye out for the gangers if they show up." Sunny stood up and nodded to Eleanor before leaving. Eleanor got up from the booth and went over to Trudy, who wore a knowing look.

"So, you're really planning on taking on Joe Cobb's gang. It's a big risk, but I suppose you have to do what you think is right." She sighed crossing her arms.

"Trudy, I really think you should help me take them down. It's gonna fun as hell, bullets....explosions. All the fun toys." She grinned as Trudy caved, the young woman seemed like a good person, she warmed up to her quickly.

"Well, kid. I was planning on sitting this one out, but for some reason, I can't help but like you. I'm with you, Eleanor." Trudy told her, she also said she would ask a few more people to help as Eleanor left the saloon and went to talk to Easy Pete.

"Howdy." He nodded to her.

"I hear you've got dynamite, Pete. It would help us beat the powder gangers." She inquired to the man.

"Too dangerous. Gonna kill all yourselves if I let you touch it. Better to leave it buried - safer that way." Pete shook his head.

"I know dynamite." She lied. "Light it, throw it far away from yourself. Avoid people around you. I know it's dangerous. It's a weapon, an explosive. No different than a gun. I know I have to use it wisely." Eleanor explained to the old man, who thought for a moment before nodding. Guess she truly did have a silver tongue. This would be useful.

"Alright, I'll be right back." He spoke as he left to get the buried explosives. Returning he handed them to Eleanor, he gave her a warning look as she chuckled and went over to the general store. She walked in and went over to Chet. 

"Alright, asshole. You're gonna give us the damn supplies." She growled as Chet's eyes widened. After threating to cut off his favorite part and slapping him in the face when he insulted her. Chet gave in giving her the armor and items she needed. The satchel she wanted, shotgun, a sight for her rifle, and some grenades. That man was a wimp, he liked to act tough, but he sure as hell wasn't. She left the whimpering pussy as she went to the Doc's with a bright smile. He teased her, asking she needed another bullet removed, but she asked for medical supplies and he gave what he had. It was night time and she asked Doc if she could stay the night. The Powder Idiots seemed too dumb to realize the advantage of attacking during the night. So in the morning she rose and gave the leather armor to Sunny, keeping one for herself and changing into it, before going up to the gas station to Ringo.

"Ringo!" She called out as she entered.

"So, what's going on, Eleanor?" He asked quickly. "Did Sunny agree to help us?"

"Sunny's with us. Trudy and some townsfolk. I got some dynamite too." She told the man as he looked at her impressed.

"Well, I guess that means we're ready to go. Unless you think there's something else you can do?" He rose an eyebrow, Eleanor shook her head.

"No, let's do this." She nodded, as the door to the gas station swung open.

"Time to look alive. The Powder Gangers are here to play." Sunny informed them as Eleanor looked at her.

"How many?" Eleanor asked.

"At least six, Joe Cobb included. They look pretty mean." She answered.

"You guys stay back, our first line of defense will be the dynamite. Let's make them go boom." She smirked, as the trio ran out of the station, Sunny and Ringo ducked behind the store, as Eleanor slid behind a rock. Pulling out some dynamite she lit it and threw it right where Cobb stepped. An explosion rung out as Cobb was killed instantly, alerting the rest of the idiots. That's when they attacked. Eleanor took out her rifle and shot at one as the rest of the townsfolk, Sunny, and Ringo backed her up. Her eyes widened as she rolled away as a Ganger tried to hit her with his bat. Quickly pulling out a knife Chet 'gave' her as she stabbed him in the leg and twisted the blade making him scream. Pulling it out she quickly stabbed him in the eye killing him instantly. She grabbed her gun and shot the last ganger who was wounded. Everyone cheered as they realized they won. Ringo smiled brightly as he walked over to her.

"I owe you a huge favor for this, Eleanor. Here - these are technically Crimson Caravan funds, but I know they'll understand once I explain things." He smiled at her as he handed her caps. She patted him on the shoulder.

"Please, do not get into any more trouble, Ringo." She gave him a look.

"Thanks, again." He told her. "I'll leave tomorrow. What about you?" Ringo asked.

"I'll load up on supplies and leave. Say goodbye to Sunny, Trudy, and Mitchell before I go." She told the man.

"Well good luck finding that guy. I heard what happened." He told her.

"Thanks, Ringo." Eleanor smiled shortly. She then went off getting food and drink from Trudy who told her to be careful and that she was always welcomed back. She also got more ammo from Chet. Then went to Doc Mitchell who said to take care of herself and always come back if she needed to be patched up. Sunny teased her and said to have fun in New Vegas. She also gave the best directions to her destination. She said her goodbyes, got what she need and headed out. She waved to Victor as she left ready to get on her way and kick that checkered idiot's ass. She was heading to her first destination.

Primm.


	3. Primm and Deputy Dickface.

Eleanor was walking down the road closer to Primm and its recognizable roller coaster. She dealt with some Powder Idiots on the way, but thank god for Pete and his dynamite. Took care of those morons real quick. Also took care of some geckos. She also found some clothing in Devil's Gullet, it was a gray shirt, black leather jacket, pants, and boots. The luck was it had a holster for her rifle instead of her using the handle for it. So she used that for her rifle. She kept the clothes thinking, later on, she could find some type of armor to put on it. Instead of leather armor which wasn't very comfortable and hard to get used too. She frowned recognizing NCR ahead, what were they doing here? That was when she was stopped by an NCR trooper.

"Hey, where the hell do you think you're going?" The NCR trooper demanded. 

"Um....that way." She said sarcastically pointing towards Primm. The NCR trooper ignored her sarcasm and continued on.

"Primm is off limits, lady." He told her. Sighing she shook her head.

"Great. Thanks for the warning anyway." She said to the guy who nodded.

"Be careful. You may want to talk to Lieutenant Hayes. He's in a tent down the road. Just stay on the west side of the overpass if you don't want to get shot." He suggested to her.

"Thanks, again." She said as she moved past him going where he directed. "Guess I'm talking to this Hayes, guy." Eleanor mumbled to herself. Once she made it to the small encampment of tents, she asked a trooper which tent was Hayes and he directed her to it. She entered the tent slowly making sure he wasn't busy nor it was empty. The man in question - Hayes - was sitting at a beat up table. "Are you Lieutenant Hayes?" She asked the man.

"Yeah, I'm Lieutenant Hayes of the New California Republic Army, 5th Battalion, 1st Company." The man introduced himself, that was a lot.

"Wow, okay." She whispered to herself. "I'm Eleanor." She told him, as he nodded.

"What's your business?" He questioned her suspiciously.

"What are you doing out here? Why aren't you going into Primm?" She asked him confused.

"We were sent out here to hold back the tide of convicts from the correctional facility." He answered her honestly.

"Oh, of course, the Powder Gangers." She groaned annoyed.

"You've come in contact with them?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"More than once." She said with a sigh.

"Well, Eleanor, as you can probably tell, we aren't doing the kind of job we could be doing." He continued frustrated, his fist hitting the table lightly. 

"Wait, what's the problem with your mission?" Eleanor frowned confused, sitting at the table.

"The mission isn't a problem. The problem is with supplies." He began to tell her. "The convicts are better armed and organized than our intel initially suggested." Hayes finished. "I'm trying to get some reinforcements here, maybe some guns with some firepower, but...shit...things are just going slow." He admitted as Eleanor gave him a sympathetic look, poor guy.

"Any other info on the convicts?" She asked him curiously.

"Not much. They've taken to calling themselves Powder Gangers, as you already know. Mostly because they've taken to using the explosives meant to clear boulders as weapons." He shook his head as he told her. "They got organized faster than I would have thought, most of them at least. Thankfully, the small group in town here seem to have split off from the main force, so they aren't getting anything in the way of support." Hayes added pursing his lips, is this really all they knew? Wow, the NCR is lacking in the intelligence section.

"So, that bridge I spotted out there with a shack? Got explosives on it?" Eleanor questioned crossing her arms.

"Mines. We haven't been able to figure out how to get past them." He responded Eleanor bit the inside of her cheek and nodded.

"I think I might be able to, I could sneak in. Anyone taken by the Powder Ganger's I can rescue." She offered to the man, she might as well clear them out while she's here.

"By yourself?" He said flabbergasted.

"If you're with me, you're a beacon. I would die faster. I just need grenades." She told him, as he nodded.

"All right, you've got them. Be careful, I don't need another dead body." He warned her, she just gave him a look and muttered.

"Don't worry about me."

-8-

Eleanor had gotten her grenades and stood feet away from the first mine. She was trying to figure out the pattern if she could. Eleanor would be able to jump her own path to safety, well the other side of the bridge. Personally, she needed help to take them down which is why she was sneaking her way in. She spotted the Mojave express and formed an idea. That's when it clicked, she smirked as the trooper in the shack behind her frowned confused at the crazy woman in front of him. His eyes widened as she began jumping back and forth on the bridge carefully making sure none of her items dropped or she lost her balance. Eleanor held her breath till she finally got to the end looking relieved and let out a breath. The trooper on the other side looked impressed and got another to go tell Hayes. Eleanor rubbed her palms before she snuck towards the Mojave express, opening the door she spotted a small group of gangers, she looked down at a dead body near by and took paper from his clothing, it might have something else about her delivery. She clicked the pin off her grenade before throwing it and swiftly and quietly went into express.

"Well, that was....exhilarating." She said to herself as she stood up. She looked at a dead robot on the counter and hummed. She could jury rig it until she found better parts down the road. So that's what she did, she could use a metal ally. After probably longer than she wanted. She jumped back as the robot came to life, guess she was skilled with technology and medicine. Everything else, maybe... "Well, hello." She greeted with a small smile. The robot let out a beep as she looked at the words on its side. "Hello, ED-DE. I'm Eleanor." Eleanor smiled brightly as ED-DE let out a happy beep. "Will you help me get rid of the Powder Gangers?" She asked the robot who happily agreed.

"All right, I'm thinking the people may be at the Casino. Not the one with the rollercoaster." She said to ED-DE who beeped in response. "Well, let's go." She nodded, with ED-DE's help they took down the Powder Gangers standing outside the casino, leaving some others probably by the houses and others in the rollercoaster casino. She entered to be met with an old man putting his gun down.

"Though you might a convict." He told her relieved she wasn't.

"The ones outside. They're all dead." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh, well, I don't know what it was that brought you to Primm, youngster, but you might want to rethink your plans. As you can tell Town's gone to hell." He sighed, lighting a cigarette for relief and taking a smoke.

"Yeah, I saw." She commented knowingly, who couldn't tell it had gone to hell? Not that anywhere else was better. "Who are you?"

"Johnson Nash's my name. Husband to Ruby Nash. Lived in Primm going on eight years now, thick and thin." He introduced himself, taking a drag of his cigarette. "I'm a trader primarily, for what it's worth with things like they are. I also run the local Mojave Express outpost."

"Well, Johnson Nash, I'm taking on those Gangers, know anyone crazy enough to help?" She asked him biting her lip, she really didn't want to deal with them alone, no matter how dumb they were.

"Yep. Talk to Erik and his husband Killian Murphy." He nodded to them where they sat in the back. "I see you fixed my robot though."

"Yep, mind if I keep it?" Eleanor rose an eyebrow.

"You'll need it more than me." He nodded not caring.

"I'm a courier actually with your Express, my name is Eleanor." She brought up changing the subject to introduce herself, and maybe get some info on checkered dickwad.

"Well, I don't got any work right now, sorry to say." He told her putting out his cigarette.

"Actually no, I wasn't asking for work. I lost a package I was supposed to deliver." She shook her head.

"I'll tell you whatever I can. Do you have a delivery order you can show me?" He questioned her, she handed him the letter as she asked.

"What can you tell me about this job?"

"Oh, so you're talking about one of them packages. That job had strange written all over it. But we couldn't turn down the caps." He explained to her, waving his hand around.

"Well, some men stole my package and shot me. A man in a checkered suit and some Great Khans. Did they happen to pass this way?" She questioned hopefully.

"Well, not that you mention it, a few nights back one of the townies was out scavenging for supplies. He said he saw a fella with a daisy suit come through with some of them Great Khan misfits. They was talking about a chip." Nash informed Eleanor as she sighed.

"Yeah, well the asshole in the daisy suit shot me. I need to know the best way to get to them." She begged him.

"Well for that your best bet is going to be talking to Deputy Beagle. Since they came to town he was keeping a good bit of notes on them, and he was slinking around Bison Steve when your pretty-boyfriend came through. He may have heard where they were going." He continued on talking, Eleanor refrained making a disgusted noise at the use of the word boyfriend about that dickhead.

"Okay, where is he?" She asked though she had the feeling she already knew.

"He was taken by the Gangers, his their prisoner in Bison Steve." He replied.

"Great." She muttered. "One more question, what was so damn strange about that package?" Eleanor inquired.

"That cowboy robot had us hire six couriers. Each was carrying something a little different. A pair of dice, a chess piece, that kind of stuff." She frowned at the mention of cowboy robot, was he talking about....Victor? "Last word I had from the office, it looked like payment had been received for the other five jobs. Guess it was just your chip that didn't make it. First deadbeat, we hired to do the job canceled. Hope a storm from the Divide skins him alive." He said angrily, as Eleanor froze at the word, just like the mention of the Great Khans it seemed so personal....more familiar. "Well, that's where you came in."

"He canceled?" She asked baffled, why would someone cancel on something that seemed like good money?

"Yeah, got this look when he saw you next down on the Courier list. His expression turned right around, asked me if your name was for real. I said, sure as lack of rain, you were still kicking." He nodded to her, odd why her?. "Then he turned down the job, just like that. I asked if he was sure, it was good money. "No, let "Courier Six" carry the package, that's what he said - like the Mojave'd sort you out or something. Then he just up and walked out." Nash finished explaining to her as she nodded along.

"Do you know who he was? Where he went?" She questioned desperately. 

"No idea. Sounds like you two had a history for him to act like that. And turn down the money, too. Hope he didn't see any trouble in that package of yours. Maybe he thought your name was bad luck. Not for me to say." Nash shrugged as he moved to sit down in a seat.

"Speaking of a robot. Cowboy robot, you said. You mean the one over there?" She nodded as she spotted a robot.

"Nope. Different fella. Bigger. Had himself a face on a screen and he talked more like you or me." Nash shook his head, confirming Eleanor's thoughts. But how the hell else was he involved? 

"All right, thanks, Nash. I'll go talk to Erik and Killian." She nodded, and walked away, making her way towards the two men. "So, I was told you can help with crazy shit." Eleanor spoke up, making the two men look at her. 

"How much you paying us?" The man she assumed was Erik asked, the other man - Killian probably slapped his husband's arm. 

"We'll help you for no price, we want to get out of this town." He told her as she nodded.

"I'm Eleanor." She smiled, good she really didn't have the money currently.

"I'm Killian and that is Erik. My reckless husband." Killian introduced as Erik rolled his eyes.

"And this is my overly moral, OCD, husband." Erik snorted, as Killian glared at his husband.

"Well, I'm getting the Deputy back to find the dickhead who shot me." She explained to the two men.

"Someone shot you?" Killian frowned.

"I was carrying a package he really wanted. Long story." Eleanor answered waving them off.

"Erik?" Killian turned him giving him a look.

"All right, fine we'll help." He sighed.

"Great! So we're gonna sneak in, you guys will be bait." Eleanor clapped her hands together, smiling brightly.

"Oh, for-she's just like you. Reckless." Killian sighed rubbing his forehead as he looked at his husband as Erik smirked.

"I change my mind I like her. She's a troublemaker, I can already tell." Erik let out a booming laugh as he glanced at his husband's exasperated look. "Let's go, lass." He patted Eleanor's shoulder standing up, Killian shook his head but followed as Erik and Eleanor went ahead, talking to each other.

-8-

Her plan was reckless, but actually surprisingly good. Erik and Killian looked down at the two bodies she dragged to them confused. Her hands were on her hips as she smirked at the two men. Both turned their gazes towards her.

"I'm confused." Killian admitted, ED-DE let out a beep as Eleanor smiled at the robot.

"You're not bait, more like my guards." She smirked correcting what she said early, Killian had a bad feeling about her plan.

"What?" Erik frowned, rubbing his chin.

"You guys are going to put on these guys clothes, pretend you captured me and bring me right to Beagle." She began to explain as ED-DE moved to her side. "Untie me once we get to him, subtly." She warned them, the two men noticed the robot was joined to her hip. "Then after I untie him, we attack." Eleanor finished clapping her hands.

"You do know they could realize we are not their friends, right?" Killian rose his eyebrows at her.

"No, I don't think they're very smart." She shook her head, mumbling.

"Well, I for one, like this plan." Erik grinned, looking excited already.

"Ah, thanks!" She cheered doing a small dance. "So, go get dressed and diddly dad, whatever." Eleanor waved them off, as the two men dragged the bodies away from her to change. ED-DE let out a beep as Eleanor looked at the robot. "I like them too already, ED-DE." She smiled with a nodded. The two men reappeared a couple minutes later dressed. "Looking good, guys." Eleanor joked as Killian turned his gaze towards ED-E.

"What do we say about ED-E?" He asked curiously, he'd her say the robots name when they were changing.

"Just say you found ED-E. Lie. I don't know." She answered him crossing her arms. "I told you they're not very bright." Eleanor turned to EDDE and said. "Stay here, actually. I haven't fixed you all the way yet." ED-E let out a sad beep but agreed as Eleanor patted her robot like if it was a dog.

"All right." Killian breathed, as Eleanor handed them her weapons, taking them they grabbed her arms and led her to the Bison Steve, they walked inside and held their breath as one of the gangers.

"Who's that?" One ganger asked the couple. 

"Found her snooping around. Had this robot with her, it's still outside, thought she'd be important or something." Killian shrugged as he explained to the man.

"She had some nice grenades and dynamite." Erik grinned, damn they were actually good actors, Eleanor was surprised.

"Oh....all right. Take her to the kitchen with the other." The ganger nodded, gesturing for them to move on. 

"Wow. They aren't very bright like you said." Killian whispered to the young woman as they walked down the hall towards the kitchen. The opened the kitchen door and closed it behind them as they sat her down by who she assumed was Beagle. They tied her hands but smirked knowing she still had her knife. 

"We'll be outside the door, lass." Erik told her quietly, Eleanor nodded, as they placed her weapons on the counter. They left the kitchen the door open as they stood outside keeping a lookout as Eleanor turned to Beagle. 

"Are you Deputy Beagle?" She asked him quietly.

"Why, yes I am. It's a pleasure to meet you, who are you?" Beagle nodded as he moved his bound hands to get comfortable.

"My names Eleanor, the two guys with me are Erik and Killian. We're here to help." She explained quickly her eyes darting around making sure no gangers came in that weren't Erik or Killian.

"Well, sorry, chick, but unless you can use your womanly wiles to get us out. You and your friends are outmatched. I'd cross my fingers you could, but my hands are numb." Beagle scoffed as Eleanor looked at him offended. She cut off her bonds with her knife as she grabbed the collar of Beagle's shirt. 

"All right, Deputy Dickface!" She said angrily, as Beagle wore a scared look on his face. "You have info on the checkered dickhead and some Great Khans that came through here." Eleanor growled as Beagle was trembling as Erik snorted and Killian smirked slightly.

"In-Indeed I do good, ma'am, and I-I would be thrilled to share that information with you as soon as I am released from captivity." He gulped still shaking as Eleanor looked even more pissed.

"She's pissed, mate. Tell her what you know." Erik commented as he grinned proudly at Eleanor's fierceness. Killian just shook his head but had to admire her. This plan was going well and the Deputy was intimated by a small maybe 5'4 woman. They heard shuffling from the double doors to the kitchen, not the single door where Killian and Erik were, they froze for a moment, but Eleanor returned to the matter at hand.

"All right, Dickface. We don't have time. I'll set you free-" She began to say letting go of him as Dickface cut her off.

"Oh, that's just marvelous. I think I'll be making my way outside then. The air's a little close in here." Beagle interrupted as he let out a breath.

"Oh, no. I don't think so. If you try to run away instead of fighting at mine and my friend's sides, I'll kill you myself." She threatened angrily as Beagle's eyes widened and he nodded.

"Oh! Why, uh, of course! I would never let you fight my kidnappers with my help." Beagle told her, before realizing his mistake. "Uh, without it! You lead the way!" He spoke correcting his mistake as he did.

"She's just like you." Killian said to his husband resting his rifle on his shoulder. 

"I like her, can we keep her?" Erik asked, to Killian that meant he wanted to continue on with her, travel with Eleanor. Eleanor realized what he meant and a small smile appeared on her face.

"Yes." Killian nodded, as Erik shifted his minigun. Untying Beagle she tossed him her pistol as she grabbed her shotgun as well as her rifle and explosives. 

"Grenades?" Erik grinned as he and Killian moved into the room.

"Yep." Eleanor let out a quiet laugh, the group of four went to opposite doors, Killian opened the door a little for Eleanor as she tossed two grenades in the room.

"Grenade!" Someone shouted, as there was an explosion. Swinging the door open, Erik loaded his minigun out on them. Taking out the surprised Gangers, as the ones from the hall began filling in. Eleanor shot off her shotgun as surprisingly Beagle helped a bit, before not surprisingly cowering away after nearly being shot. Killian and Eleanor looked at each other and nodded, he picked her up as she kicked a Ganger in the face. Erik let out a laugh as he shot them down. She stabbed the ganger she kicked as Killian shot one coming at her. 

"Looks like that was the last of them." Killian hummed putting his gun away. 

"There's probably more at the houses." Erik commented, reloading his gun.

"Yeah. Thanks, guys. Because of you guys we took them down." She smiled at them, before turning to Beagle. "No thanks to you." Eleanor deadpanned, as she grabbed his scruff pulling him up and taking her gun. "Let's go and you can tell me about the checkered dickhead." She clenched her jaw pushing him towards the exit, Erik, and Killian watching amused. After leaving Bison Steve she shoved Beagle away and turned to him.

"Well! That was quite an adventure. We taught those convicts a thing or two, didn't we?" Beagle boasted as Eleanor rolled her eyes at him. "Breaking myself out of a hostage situation - not to diminish your role in it, of course - but it was quite thrilling." He grinned, but the grin disappeared as soon as he noticed the glares on the trio's faces. "Problem is, there's still no law in Primm. What're we to do the next time ruffians menace us and hold us hostage?" Beagle cleared his throat after their glares faded.

"I don't know." Eleanor deadpanned, as ED-E came over to them beeping.

"What about you?" Beagle asked suddenly, as Eleanor burst out laughing, Erik snorted and Killian looked at the man like he was a moron. She was the last person he should ask, her laughter died down as she looked at him.

"You insulted me! Hid like a coward and have the nerve to ask me!" She yelled at him angrily. "It's your town, not my problem. Deal with it." Eleanor stated with a huffed. "Now, what do you know? About the checkered guy and the Khans." Eleanor demanded, crossing her arms.

"Ahh, yes, my memory is much clearer now that I am free from my bondage." He squeaked afraid to piss her off again. "I was sku....er, performing recon, gathering information on some of the Powder Gangers, when some great Khans arrived with your friend in the suit." Beagle coughed as shifted under her gaze.

"He's not my friend." She corrected the man annoyed.

"Right, um, they were talking about some delivery they took from a courier, I assume that was you." He informed her, as she nodded.

"You'd be correct." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Anyway, they said they'd be heading through Nipton to Novac to meet a contact there." Beagle finished as he moved away slowly, before fast walking to the casino. Eleanor turned to Erik and Killian with a smile.

"Well, thanks, guys." She smiled shortly as she put her pistol in her holster. "Again. But I better head off." Eleanor spoke as she put out a hand for them to shake, Killian stopped her pushing her hand down.

"We've decided to join you." He informed the young woman as she looked at them surprised.

"Really?" Her eyebrows rose in shock.

"Yeah, lass. We want to help you and go after the dick who shot you." Erik smirked with a nod, as ED-E let out a happy beep. 

"Well, good I could use the company and muscle." She grinned happily, clapping her hands.

"All right, let's kick some ass." Erik nodded with a laugh, as he began walking ahead of the two, ED-E trailing behind him, as Killian turned to Eleanor and patted her shoulder in a brotherly manner as the two followed after Erik and ED-E.

"Come on, Elena."


	4. Fox Boy and Novac.

After leaving Primm and dealing with any stray powder gangers on the way and other creatures, they stopped to rest at the Nipton road pit stop it was called. Set out some sleeping rolls and lit a campfire. She had gotten to know her two new companions. Killian had been born in a place called Warm Springs, Georgia and had found work in the main traffic area of the half decimated state Atlanta when he got older. Erik, on the other hand, was a homegrown Freesider, his half older brother was the leader of the kings, the King. He commented his brother was reluctant to let him go off and wander but obliged to his wishes. He and Killian met Colorado when Erik was in some shit and they married two years after. Erik said it was his rugged good looks that made Killian marry him, making Killian scoff and roll his eyes.

"So you've been married for almost five years?" She asked the two men curiously as she crossed her legs.

"Yep. Pretty much." Erik spoke nodding.

"Never settled down for a little in those five years? Adopt children?" Eleanor inquired, hoping she wasn't prying too much.

"No." This time it was Killian who answered her question. "I like the open road, and I'll admit. A child wouldn't be bad." He told the woman who nodded as she chewed on her food.

"I think we should adopt a girl if we ever do. She could be just like your badass little sister Levy." Erik nudged his husband smiling, taking a bite out of his food.

"Levy?" Eleanor frowned tilting her head sideways.

"My little sister, she was a soldier with the NCR, before she retired. She lives in the Zion Canyon now." Killian explained as he looked at Eleanor. 

"I'd like to meet her someday," Eleanor commented as she gave Killian a short smile which he returned.

"Maybe you will." Killian hummed to himself.

"Now, lass. Tells us about the bastard who shot you." Erik brought up, getting a look from Killian, as Eleanor waved him off.

"No, it's alright." She wasn't bothered at all about telling them. "What I know is, I had a chip he wanted. Tracked me down, caught me in Goodsprings. Put it a bullet in my head and now I can't remember anything about my life before that graveyard." Eleanor explains crossing her arms. "Because of him, I lost my past." She spoke bitterly spitting on the ground, the two men looked at her sympathetically. "There are words that seem familiar. Personal. But I never know why." Eleanor finished as the air around them became quiet.

"Well..." Killian cleared his throat. "We better get some rest. We're passing through Nipton tomorrow, into Nevada. I heard things about Nipton. So keep your guard up tomorrow." He explained to them, as Erik and Eleanor nodded.

"I'll keep watch." Erik volunteered as Killian nodded, Erik gave his husband a quick kiss as he grabbed his gun. Eleanor watched with a soft smile. She was glad someone was happy in this shit world. She laid down as Killian bid her goodnight and did the same, as Erik kept an eye out.

-8-

"Ain't that kick in the head!" Eleanor and Erik belched out as they walked, Killian rolling his eyes, but smiling at the two. After last night, learning a lot about each other. Still determined as ever to help Eleanor find that checkered bastard. They got closer to Nipton, but that didn't stop Erik and Eleanor from bursting into song, from the radio playing from her pip-boy. The song finished as Erik and Eleanor high fived, the trio froze as Mr. New Vegas came on the air and told a familiar story.

"And now the news." Mr. New Vegas began to say, his usual cheery voice. "This just in. A package courier found shot in the head near Goodsprings has reportedly regained consciousness and made a full recovery. Now that is a delivery service you can count on. And the courier in question had helped Goodsprings fend off a mob of escaped convicts after organizing an impromptu militia, according to an old man armed to the teeth with dynamite. The courier's name has been revealed by sources, but we have taken upon ourselves not to say the name." He spoke longly as Erik and Killian gave her an impressed look. "And that's the news. Stay classy, New Vegas." You could hear the grin in his voice, as it changed to music, Eleanor shut it off and turned to her two friends.

"Nice job, lass." Erik grinned, as Killian smiled brightly.

"Good job, Eleanor." He nodded at her, as she smiled.

"Thanks." She demeanor changing a bit to a very happy one. She didn't like attention, but she had to admit it was nice to hear her story out there. But thank fucking god they didn't reveal her name. She just hopes the checkered guy isn't listening to the radio right now. 

"All right, let's go and keep to ourselves. We're about to go through Nipton." Killian informed the other two who nodded, keeping their guns close the trio began getting closer to the town sign. Eleanor frowning as she spotted a man dressed in powder ganger gear. Once they got to the sign the man came up to them cheering, startling Eleanor as she stepped back. Erik and Killian didn't push her behind them, knowing she could handle herself.

"Yeah! Who won the lottery? I did!" He yelled happily pumping his fist into the air. "Smell that air! Couldn't ya just drink it like booze!" The man exclaimed laughing maniacally, the trio glanced at each other confused and disturbed.

"Uh....what sort of lottery did you win?" Eleanor coughed hoping he wouldn't attack them.

"What lottery? The lottery, that's what lottery! Are you stupid?" The man snort as Eleanor glared at him. "Only lottery that matters! Oh my god smell that air!" He cheered as Eleanor looked at Killian.

"I heard rumors of the legion being here. I think they made a lottery to see who would live." Killian explained, seeming very disgusted by that. Eleanor then frowned again as she looked at his clothing.

"Are you a powder ganger?" She asked him gripping her gun.

"Powder Ganger? What?" He frowned at first as she looked at him, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, yeah, use to be, sure! But not no more Powder Gang is small-time, man! I'm a winner! I won the motherfucking lottery!" The man got riled up again as the trio stood there awkwardly.

"I'm not anymore." Eleanor corrected under her breath. "Uh, I need to go." She gave a tense smile, as the guy just looked at her, before running off.

"What the fuck?!" Erik and Eleanor exclaimed at the same time.

"I hate the Legion." Killian hissed moving forward. "Let's be careful." The other two followed the man keeping quiet. The entire fucking town was a disaster, worse than Primm. People were being crucified, and Eleanor didn't say anything, but she wanted to vomit at the smell and sight. The three stopped in front of the town hall as guards rushed to posts, and a man wearing fox hat, sunglasses, and what Eleanor assumed to be the ugly ass uniforms of the legion, he stood up from the step and made his way to Eleanor, completely ignoring Erik and Killian. The dick brigade, yeah that's what Eleanor totally needed to deal with right now. No, she just wanted to get to Novac, get a hotel room and ask around about the checkered dickhead, but instead, she was about to talk to Fox Boy.

"Vulpes Inculta." She heard Killian say lowly looking at the man.

"Don't worry, I won't have you lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates." Fox boy told as Eleanor glanced back at the crucified men. "It's useful that you happened by." He grinned maliciously. Great, he's a sociopath.

"I want you to witness the fate of the town of Nipton, to memorize every detail." Fox boy began explaining to her, as she caught Erik gripping Killian's wrist tightly, feeling the anger radiating off of him. "And then, when you move on? I want you to teach everyone you meet the lesson that Caesar's Legion taught here, especially any NCR troops you run across." He explained as if it was a simple lesson. Eleanor gritted her teeth.

"Oh, yes I'll do it right away, fox boy." Eleanor hummed sarcastically tapping her chin. Vulpes scowled at her but didn't say anything. "Anyway. We'll be on our way." She smiled snarkily, grabbing Erik and Killian's wrist and pulling them along. "Bye Fox Boy!" She waved giving him a mocking look.

"It's Vulpes." He corrected growling.

"I know, I just don't care." Eleanor smirked, she was tempted to flip up her middle finger but didn't want to piss off fox boy anymore. 

"What are you doing? We should stop them." Killian hissed as Erik and Eleanor looked at each other.

"No, there are three of us, and a shit ton of them. I'm in the middle of going after checkered dickhead. Not getting stuck in the middle of a war." Eleanor replied giving Killian a look as Erik nodded.

"She's right, Killian." Erik agreed.

"I'm sorry, Killian. I want to help them. I do, but how could we help them if we're dead?" She rose an eyebrow, as Killian sighed and reluctantly nodded. "Now come on. We've got to get to Novac before nightfall." Eleanor ordered, continuing on, she stopped at the railroad tracks, looking at the sign reading 'Welcome to Nevada, the silver state'. Killian and Erik watched her as she took a step forward passing the line, and moving on, but of course as things seemed okay until they got further into Nevada. A gunshot went off.

"Shit! Ambush!" Erik exclaimed as the three ducked towards the rock wall, guns going off from the enemies as they did. They got their weapons ready as Killian aimed at the ones above and Eleanor looked at the cars sitting in the road and turned to Erik.

"Shoot the cars! They'll explode!" Eleanor told him as he nodded, pointing his minigun towards the cars he began shooting as the ones on the ground came towards them, Eleanor raced to the other side and began shooting at the enemies that were above them. Eleanor shielded her face in shock as one of the cars went off causing the rest to do the same. "Holy shit!" She exclaimed in shock.

"I really hope, they're dead now." Killian admitted as he killed one more. Eleanor used her scope and shook her head.

"There's no more up there." She informed them as Erik snorted.

"There isn't going to be any more over there." He pointed to the cars.

"Who were they?" Eleanor asked, slinging her gun back on her back.

"Viper Gunslingers." Killian answered crossing his arms. "They're morons." He added, making Eleanor shake her head amused.

"Well, they're dead morons now." Erik concluded as Eleanor kneeled down next to a dead one and began taking his ammo or other things on him.

"We should check them for stuff before moving on." She suggested, Erik and Killian nodded as they moved to check the others, Eleanor sighed to herself as she stood and moved to another dead viper to check for any stuff and muttered to herself.

"Then let's get to fucking Novac."

-8-

They continued on dealing with more moronic vipers and an occasionally rad scorpion, passing by some Legion soldiers, not saying anything to those dickheads. They passed by an abandoned farm, which they checked for supplies. The trio came to an intersection, Killian warning they away from the camp searchlight, explaining it was an irradiated NCR town. Instead, they turned left and did not go right. Passing by an NCR station as they left the road and walked on the railroad to Novac. Finally much to Eleanor's relief, as the sun sunk down and was gone. They entered Novac, a small town, and a Giant Dinosaur statue.

"Holy fuck! It's a dinosaur statue!" She exclaimed pointing at it as Erik snorted and Killian chuckled. "It's so weird. To have at least." Eleanor muttered the last part.

"Come on, Eleanor." He nudged her, rolling her eyes, they went right to the motel and entered greeted by an older woman with glasses, they walked up to the front desk of the motel.

"Well. Welcome to you." She greeted cheerily, surprising the trio, but making Eleanor frown. "You three look tired from the road. Why don't you relax a spell, let this fine town take care of you?" The woman suggested with a bright smile, the three returning it shortly.

"Um...." Eleanor cleared her throat and crossed her arms. "I'm looking for a man in a checkered coat. Have you seen anyone like that?" She asked the woman calmly.

"Well he might've been wearing a fancy outfit, but he wasn't any kind of a gentleman to me." Her face turned sour and she huffed.

"That sounds like him." Eleanor hummed.

"Had his nose stuck so high in the air, you couldn't see it above the clouds. City folk, they always think they deserve better than what they got." She finished sitting down in her chair at the desk. "Those hoodlums he was with seemed to know Manny for some reason. He's our daytime sniper, up in the dinosaur's mouth." The lady added as Eleanor nodded.

"Uh....we haven't met yet." Eleanor changed the subject putting her hand out.

"Oh, yes. My apologies. My name is Jeannie May Crawford." The older woman stood up and shook her hand.

"I'm Eleanor, and my two friends are Erik and Killian." Eleanor introduced pointing to herself and the two men.

"Nice to meet you." She smiled at them with a nodded.

"We'd like to rent a room." Eleanor asked the woman.

"It's 10 caps a night." Jeannie told the young woman. 

"We'll take it." She smiled handing the woman her caps as Jeannie gave her the key, telling her their room was the one right above the lobby. Saying goodbye to the woman they left the check-in/out room. As Eleanor frowned spotting a familiar securitron. "Hey, take the key and get settled in. You guys take the bed, I'll take the couch if there's one." She handed the key to Killian who frowned but nodded.

"See you soon." Killian said as Erik patted her shoulder as the two walk off. Eleanor slowly walked over as she came face to face with Victor.

"Victor!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, if it ain't my old friend from Goodsprings!" The robot cheered as Eleanor gave a small smile.

"What are you doing in Novac?" She asked greatly confused.

"Don't rightly know - I just got the notion to make my way to New Vegas. Reckon I'll find out when I get there." He shrugged as Eleanor nodded slowly.

"I hope you do." She admitted to the securitron. "But it is quite a coincidence us meeting like this." Eleanor casually mentioned to the robot.

"Seeing how this is the only road around, I'd be a sight more surprised if we didn't run into each other from time to time." He pointed out as Eleanor nodded agreement, that was true. 

"You said the men that jumped me were heading this way, right?" She frowned crossing her arms, not sure if it was him that mentioned it some way earlier before Beagle.

"No, don't believe I did, but you might ask around - the Novac folk usually see anyone traveling this way." Victor responded, Eleanor, hummed, guess he didn't mention it. Her mind had been very preoccupied recently.

"Even so, it's really nice to see another friendly face out here." Eleanor gave the robot a smile.

"Likewise, friend - likewise." He smiled happily. "Is there anything old Vic can do you for?" Victor asked Eleanor.

"No, I'm good. Thank you for offering anyway." She smiled at the robot who nodded. "Well, I'm going into the weird dinosaur, then getting some rest. Night, Victor." Eleanor nodded to the securitron. 

"Be seeing you, Ellie." He waved goodbye, as she smiled and made her way to the dinosaur and stepped inside. She nodded to the man getting ready to leave the counter. 

"Boone's upstairs if you're wondering." The darker man informed her as she nodded, shit she forgot Jeannie said that Manny guy was a daytime sniper. Oh, well might as well see if she can getting anything from Boone. "I won't be leaving till you walk out that door." The man called out to her as she walked up the steps.

"Got it." She called back to him, as she opened the door, to come face to face.....with a gun. Fucking again. Really?

"Goddamn it!" Boone cursed lowering his gun as he looked at her. "Don't sneak up on me like that. What do you want?" He demanded as Eleanor sighed.

"I heard there was a sniper nest up here." She shrugged nonchalantly, trying to get the conversation started.

"I think you'd better leave." Boone stated darkly.

"Just making friendly conversation, man." Eleanor raised her hands in surrender.

"I don't have friends here." He replied shortly.

"Well, I'm pretty damn sure I'm not from here." She responded shaking her head.

"No. No, you're not, are you?" Boone hummed making Eleanor frown. "Maybe you shouldn't go. Not just yet." He stopped her as Eleanor rose an eyebrow.

"Why is that?" She asked slowly.

"I need someone I can trust. You're a stranger. That's a start." He explained to her as Eleanor pursed her lips.

"Okay, what do you want me to do?" She put her hands on her hips as waited for Boone to answer.

"I want you to find something out for me. I don't know if there's anything to find, but I need someone to try." He began to tell her as Eleanor listened quietly. "My wife was taken from our home by Legion slaves one night while I was on watch. They knew when to come and what route to take, and the only took Carla. Someone set it up. I don't know who." Boone continued on as the gears in Eleanor's head began turning.

"You're trying to track down your wife?" She inquired confused.

"My wife's dead." He said bluntly, surprising Eleanor. "I want the son of a bitch who sold her." Boone added.

"What do I do if I find this person?" Eleanor continued on asking.

"Bring him out in front of the nest here while I'm on duty. I work nights." He answered her question. "I'll give you my NCR beret to put on. It'll be our signal, so I know you're standing with him." Boone continued saying. "And I'll take care of the rest. I need to do this myself."

"All right, I got this. I'll see what I can find out to help you." She nodded but already had a sneaky suspicion. Boone handed her his beret as she took it and tucked it in her satchel.

"Good. I'll make it worth your while." Boone agreed, Eleanor moved to leave as Boone stopped her. "And one more thing. We shouldn't speak again. Not until it's over. No one in town knows that I know what happened to my wife. Best they never know. or the Legion will be after me next." He explained quickly.

"Got it." Eleanor bobbed her head, before exiting the sniper's nest. She left the dinosaur, as the man who owned the shop left right after her. Jeannie was her top suspect. The woman was way too nice like she really had something to hide.

So Eleanor made her way over to the lobby and opened the door quietly. Barely peeking in, she found the lobby was empty. Good. There might be something in the front desk. So she started searching. Finding nothing, but junk until she looked down spotting a safe. Looked easy enough to crack. Eleanor took her time knowing Jeannie wouldn't be back to morning more likely and when it finally unlocked, she let out a cry of relief. It took nearly 10 lockpicks. Thank fucking god, Killian and Erik were stocked up. Opening the safe she looked through there was caps and other junk before her eyes stopped on a piece of paper. Picking it up she opened it.

Bill of sale.

We, the representatives of the Consul Officiorum, have this day bargained and purchased from Jeannie May Crawford of the township of Novac the exclusive rights to ownership and sale of the slave Carla Boone for the sum of one thousand bottle caps, and those of her unborn child for the sum of five hundred bottle caps, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged. We warrant the slave and her young to be sound, healthy, and slaves for life. We covenant with the said, Jeannie May Crawford, that we have full power to bargain and sell said slave and her offspring. Payment of an additional five hundred bottle caps will be due pending successful maturation of the fetus, the claim to which shall be guaranteed by possession of this document. M. Scribonius Libo Drusus et al.

Administrators of M. Licinius Crassus, Consul Officiorum ab Famulatus

Eleanor nearly crushed the paper in her hand in anger. That bitch! She sold Boone's wife to the Legion. Of course, of fucking course. Tucking the paper away, she froze as the door began to turn. Quickly closing the safe, she stood up and rushed over to the vending machine. And speak of the devil, the guilty walked right into the lobby.

Jeannie May-Crawford.


	5. Revenge and Ghouls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Boone's quest is gonna get resolved quickly. for the sake of time and shit. Also there's this lovely artwork of Eleanor made by commonwealthcass.tumblr.com/ on Tumblr, it was a commission of Eleanor she drew for me. link: https://cass-artblog.tumblr.com/post/165762539979/commission-for-the-lovely-berky-berns-of-her ]

"Well, Ms. Eleanor I didn't know you were in here?" Jeannie-May gushed embarrassed. Eleanor cleared her throat stepping away from the machine as she went over to Jeannie-May. 

"Actually, Jeannie. I was looking for you. It's worrying me. I found something you need to see in front of the dinosaur." She told the woman being as convincing as she could possibly be. Jeannie-May looked at the woman worried and concerned.

"You're not hurt are you, dear?" She asked the younger woman concerned.

"No, ma'am. But if you follow me I can show you." She explained to the older woman who nodded. Eleanor opened the door letting Jeannie-May walk out first. Before she began leading her towards the front of the dinosaur. Once they got there Jeannie-May looked around confused. "I swear Jeannie. Something was here." Eleanor lied as she took out Boone's beret and placed it on her head.

"Maybe it's gone. Ran off." Jeannie-May suggested Eleanor jumped back before any blood splattered on her when a gunshot rang through the air.

"Holy shit." She swore, she quickly moved away from the body and slid inside the dino shop, glad it was open. Boone must've left it unlocked for her after she left. Because the shopkeeper wasn't there. Making her way up the steps Eleanor opened the door taking off the beret as Boone turned to her.

"That's it, then. How did you know?" He asked her as she handed him back his beret.

"She was too nice like she had something to. I also found a bill of sale." She told the man as she handed him the bill of sale she found in Jeannie's safe.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised." Boone told Eleanor as he looked at the paper. "It be like them to keep paperwork. Here. This is all I can give." He said to her handing her 100 caps as Eleanor looked at the caps surprised, before putting them in her pouch. "I think our dealing are done here, Eleanor." 

"Are you an outlaw now, Boone?" She asked the man, she was worried.

"No. People die out there. Often enough that no one worries about blame. They're too anxious to forget it happened in the first place, I guess." He shook his head shrugging. "Besides. I was on break when it happened." Boone spoke as the two smirked at each other.

"So...what will you do after this?" Eleanor inquired crossing her arms.

"I don't know. I won't be staying, I know that. Don't see much point in anything right now, except hunting Legionaries." He admitted to her as she hummed. "Maybe I'll wander, like you," Boone said putting his beret back on.

"Come with me, Boone. We can go after the Legion." She offered, the look on Boone's face said he was considering it.

"You don't want to do that." He responded shaking his head.

"Well...I thought snipers worked in teams." She shrugged innocently.

"Yeah. All right. I'll come with you." He agreed as she smiled at him.

"Now it's not just us." She told him as he frowned confused.

"I don't understand." He told her confused as she chuckled.

"Come meet the team, Boone."

-8-

"We're here!" Eleanor announced opening the door to the hotel room as she and Boone walked in. Killian walked out of the bathroom and Erik looked up at them from the table as ED-E beeped in the excitement of seeing Eleanor. ED-E hovered over to Eleanor leaving Erik at the table. Eleanor had explained her situation to Boone who was more than happy to help her get revenge after she helped him.

"Whos your friend, Elena?" Killian asked as she glanced back at Boone.

"This is Boone. He was the nighttime sniper. Now he's apart of operation dickhead!" She exclaimed as Erik snorted in amusement.

"What's the team name?" Erik brought up as she smirked.

"Glad you asked. It's team "no memory" if you're curious." Eleanor informed him as Erik nodded.

"Perfect, lass." He hummed as Killian went over to Boone.

"Welcome to the family, Boone." He greeted shaking the man's hand.

"Here to help." He told the man releasing his hand nodding.

"I'm Killian, that's my husband, Erik. The robot is ED-E." Killian introduced at ED-E let out a beep. "We're still taking the bed, Elena." He told the young woman who shrugged.

"I'll sleep on the floor." Boone offered as the two nodded gratefully.

"I got the couch." She pointed to the couch.

"Hey, hold on." Erik stood up and went over Eleanor.

"What's up?" Eleanor frowns confused as Erik picks up a Great Khan vest and an armored vault 13 suit. 

"This is for you. It was Killian's mother's vault suit and the khan vest...we thought you might just like it." He shrugged as she smiled taking it from Erik's hands.

"Thank you." Eleanor smiled before going to the bathroom and quickly changing into the armored vault suit and putting the great khan vest over it as she walked back out. Erik gave her two thumbs up as Killian chuckled then looked at Boone.

"So, tell me, Boone. Do you know anything about the checkered suit man?" Erik spoke up as he stood up and grabbed food from the fridge.

"No. Manny does and to get into his good graces. Help take care of the ghouls at REPCONN." Boone suggested putting his gun down and getting settled on the ground as Killian passed him a pillow and a blanket before giving Eleanor her pillow and blanket. "If you take care of it before speaking to him, he'll spill everything he knows." He spoke mainly to Eleanor who nodded.

"Well, I guess we're going to REPCONN tomorrow, boys." She informed them all as Erik groaned.

"I hate ghouls, pains in the arse." He complained as Killian hit him lightly shushing him as the two went to the bed and settled down.

"Anything else about REPCONN, Boone?" Killian inquired as Boone looked at him.

"Nightkin's. A couple months back they were seen heading towards REPCONN. I recommend dealing with the big bastards before the ghouls." Boone proposed as Eleanor and Killian nodded, Erik already asleep and snoring. Eleanor looked at them both before saying.

"Alright, boys. Let's get some sleep."

-8-

"Hey, hey, you okay?" Killian asked Eleanor worriedly as she stumbled and clutched her head they were on the road getting closer to the REPCONN building. Boone and Erik lingered behind and ED-E was in the middle of them. Killian grabbed her to steady her as Erik and Boone were obviously, mainly because they were talking to each other. She sniffled gripping her sniper rifle as Killian gave her a look. "Whats wrong?"

"Nothing. I just remembered something. About myself. Honestly, I don't like it." She admitted as Killian frowned. "My last name. I guess I just don't want a place set down for me in this world." Eleanor explained.

"Tell me. It's alright, Elena." Killian told calmly.

"My full name is Eleanor Zhao, Killian. I'm scared of remembering who am, to be honest." She told him as he gave her a reassuring look as she gave a short smile.

"Eleanor, its okay to be scared. Figuring out who you are is scary because you never know where it might take you." He put a comforting arm around her shoulder as the two began to walk again. The group walked through an underpass as Eleanor frown spotting a little area that someone must've stayed at. Eleanor nodded to at as Killian noticed it too. The group quickly scavenged from the area before continuing on. Finally, they came upon the rocket statue in front of the building. Eleanor moved ahead with ED-E trailing behind her.

"Eleanor!" All three men shouted as she was suddenly knocked over. She fell to the ground with a thud, looking up to see the disgusting jaws of a feral ghoul.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" She yelped as she tried getting the thing of her, pulling out her pistol she tried to shoot, only for the ghoul to slap it away causing her to accidentally shoot it off. Making the other ghouls in the area sprint towards them. ED-E shook but started shooting at the ghouls, the other three doing the same. "This is going to be so gross." Eleanor mumbled as she headbutted the ghoul before pointing her pistol at its head and shooting it off. Killing the ghoul. She quickly got up to help. Putting away her pistol and pulling out her sniper rifle. Helping the others pick off the rest of the ghouls. Once the last one fell down dead, she let out a breath and looked at them. "That was...a rush." Eleanor commented as Erik and Boone chuckled and Killian looked relieved. Killian walked over and helped her up as ED-E flew to her side and let out a beep.

"She's alright, ED-E." Killian chuckled lightly reassuring the bot. Letting out another breath she moved forward the others following as they quietly entered the REPCONN building. Her eyebrows rose as she spotted a nightkin body on the ground and quickly searched it finding a stealth boy.

"Like I said I recommend taking out Nightkin first." Boone said quietly, but then they were interrupted by the intercoms.

"What the hell?" Erik frowns confused.

"Hey! Over here! Are you listening?" A gravely voice calls out to the group as Eleanor glances at Killian.

"He must be a ghoul." Killian said quietly.

"I'm listening." Eleanor responded slowly.

"Okay. Go to the big room on the east side of this building and take the metal staircase all the way up. And hurry." The ghoul quickly explained to her.

"Got it." Eleanor nodded.

"Let's hope you do." He replied as the com shut off as she frowned.

"That was weird." She said as Erik and Killian nodded in agreement. ED-E suddenly beeped in fear as Eleanor looked up alarmed. "Shit! Feral ghouls!" Eleanor hissed as they all prepared to take them down. They quickly went room from room taking out the feral ghouls, and all Eleanor had to think is she really hated feral ghouls. They were a pain in the ass especially the glowing ones full of radiation. They'd used some mines and grenades for clusters they found before finally finishing them all off. "Okay, let's go find the non-feral ghouls and see what we can do." Eleanor stated brushing some sweat from her forehead.

"Let's deal with them quick as well." Boone suggested as everyone hummed in agreement. They moved and followed the directions the ghoul on the com had told them. Coming to a big room finding another nightkin body and more feral ghouls, which they quickly took care of, before heading up steps that lead to a kind of overlook, which lead to a door, which probably leads to another room. Eleanor moved over to the com by the door and pressed the button.

"Hello." She called out into the com.

"All right, Smoothskin." The ghoul responded after a couple of minutes. "I'm letting you in. You better watch yourself. I'll sure as hell be watching you." He spoke as she heard the click of a lock on the door. The group looked at each other bemused and confused, ED-E just letting out a beep, as Eleanor simply shrugged. She moved to the door opening it as they all walked inside. Staring in shock and surprise as they didn't come face to face with a ghoul, but a man. A human man. 

"What the hell?" Eleanor mumbled to herself.

"I second that." Erik muttered.

"God, but are you ugly!" The man exclaimed as Eleanor looked at him offended. "Get upstairs and talk to Jason before I throw up just from looking at you." He spoke disgusted as Eleanor refrained from scowling as Killian just patted her shoulder.

"You're not a ghoul." Eleanor pointed out bluntly, as Boone pursed his lips, Killian shook his head, and Erik covered his mouth to keep from laughing. While ED-E just floated by her side.

"Your pranks won't work on me, smooth skin. They won't work on Jason, either." He responded as she rolled her eyes.

"Ha!" She laughed as she crossed her arms. "Smooth skin? Your skin looks pretty smooth to me." Eleanor gestured to him as the man just glared at her.

"Stop wasting my time, smooth skin. Go waste Jason's." He stated before walking away. Eleanor huffed and walked to the door down the hall. She opened the door and went through as she went to the steps and walked upstairs. Stopping as she spotted a glowing ghoul. 

"That must be Jason." She spoke under her breath. 

"Then let's talk to him. See what he wants." Killian suggested as she nodded.

"And be wary." Boone added. 

"I'll stick back with ED-E and Boone. We don't want to overwhelm him." Erik brought up as Eleanor agreed. She and Killian walked forward to Jason.

"Are you Jason?" Eleanor asked curiously.

"Hello, wanderer. Yes, I am Jason Bright, the prophet of the Great Journey. Every ghoul you see here are members of my flock." He nodded as she chuckled, but frowned as great journey.

"I'm Eleanor. I prefer that over wanderer." She told as he hummed and nodded.

"Please forgive us of our humble surroundings. Our true home awaits us in the Far Beyond." Jason spoke to her, she frowned at the words 'Far Beyond', but just listened. "Have you come to help us complete the Great Journey?" He asked her, there was that word again. What was that Great Journey? She glanced at Killian who shrugged, she wanted to ask, but she had other things to ask.

"I heard "demons" mentioned. Tell me more about these "demons". " She inquired confused, but she had a feeling they were the nightkin that were the demons.

"They must be nightkin. Those demons." Killian whispered exactly what she was thinking.

"The demons appeared from nowhere...except it might be more accurate to say they never actually "appeared" at all." Jason spoke correcting himself as he did. "The demons are invisible. Where one of them stands, the most one sees is the air shimmering, like sunlight on water..." He trailed sighing as Eleanor continued to listen to him. "They set upon as we were on our way to worship one morning. We had just entered the basement. My flock fought bravely and killed a few, but at such cost. Nearly half of us died or went missing." He explained sadly as Eleanor grimaced at the thought of the murder of these ghouls, but felt bad for him and his loss.

"The rest of us retreated up here. One of the demons raved at us, but they have not tried to attack us since. Still, their demonic presence brought all progress towards the Great Journey to a standstill." He continued on telling them as Killian and Eleanor glanced at each other. Thank god, there five of them to take care of the nightkin. "But now you have come. Once again, the creator has sent a human to help us across a seemingly insurmountable obstacle." Jason finally finished saying to the two.

"You say one of the demons "raved" at you?" Killian spoke up curiously, stepping forward from behind Eleanor.

"Yes, over the intercom." Jason nodded turning his gaze to Killian. "Threats of death should we step outside, guarantees of safety should we stay locked away." He informed them both. "It went on for hours and did not always make sense. But that was the first day only. Since then, silence. Will you drive away the demons, wanderer?" Jason asked Eleanor who shuffled and sighed quietly.

"I'll take care of the "demons" for you." She agreed as Jason wore a look of relief on his face.

"Praise the creator. Bless you, wanderer! Bless us all!" He exclaimed happily. "As soon as the underground has been rid of demons, preparations for the Great Journey can resume!" Jason finished telling her and Killian as both nodded.

"We'll get started on those "demons" right away."

-8-

"Come and get it, you big dumb-" Someone began to yell at the group went into a large room. Quickly raising their weapons, Eleanor realized it was another ghoul. He was standing up above them on the broken walkway above. They had cleared out all the nightkin minus this room they were in now and one other. "Hey! You're not one of those things out there. Who the hell are you?" The ghoul frowned confused as she looked up at him.

"Jason sent me down here to get rid of the "demons"." She explained to him as the ghoul snorted.

"And I bet he told you it's the creator's will for you to risk your ass, instead of him, right?" He questioned her sarcastically, Eleanor just shrugged in response. "Well, good luck with that! I'd give you a hand, but no thanks. I may look like a corpse, but I'm partial to living!" The ghoul finished as Eleanor just listened. She really didn't need help. She had ED-E, Boone, Killian, and Erik. She glanced back at the rest of her group who just shrugged as ED-E beeped.

"How did you end up trapped down here?" She asked confused as she lowered her rifle.

"First off, I'm not trapped. This was a tactical choice, all right?" He challenged her as she rose an eyebrow in response. "I'm no match for those things out there, so I found a good defensive position, and I've been defending it, right?" The ghoul explained to her before stopping for a moment. "...Aw, who am I fooling? I'm trapped. Name's Harland. Pleased to meet you." Harland finally introduced himself to Eleanor as she nodded.

"My names Eleanor. That's Boone." She pointed to the bereted man who just nodded. "Killian, Erik, and ED-E. Nice to meet you too, Harland." Eleanor gestured to the rest of her group as Harland nodded. 

"Anyway, what happened was, I was escorting folks down to work when those things attacked us." He began to explain to Eleanor and her friends as she listened.

"Nightkin. Yeah, we killed those fuckers. It was a pain in the ass though." Eleanor hummed as Harland gave them an impressed look.

"Yeah, most of the fight was upstairs, but some folks panicked and made for the basement. And I went after them." Harland continued as Eleanor crossed her arms. That was a mistake heading for a basement and they all knew that. "Well, turns out there were even more of those bastards down here than upstairs, and things went to shit fast. I couldn't find the others, so I fell back to this room and set up a nice little kill zone. End of story." He finally finished telling Eleanor.

"You...don't look like the other ghouls from Bright's group." Eleanor spoke up curiously. 

"Guess the outfit gives that away, huh?" He asked with a chuckle as Eleanor smiled in response. "I never did buy into that religious mumbo-jumbo with the robes and all that shit. It gets lonely out in the wastes, okay? And I don't have to tell you that Bright's group has got some fine looking ghoulettes in it!" Harland said defending himself as Eleanor's smiled widened and she rose an eyebrow. As Erik grinned and Killian shook his head. Boone just listened quietly as ED-E let out a beep again. "Eh...or maybe I would have to tell you. Anyway, I helped them out, and they kept me supplied with ammo and pleasant company." He trailed as Eleanor put her hands on her hips.

"How can I help get you out of this room, Harland?" She asked the ghoul.

"Ha! Well, you're polite, I'll give you that. If this was just between you and me, I'd do as you ask. But it's not." He told her as Eleanor frowned confused. What does he mean? "I had a friend with me when those mutant bastards came out of nowheres. She panicked and ran the wrong direction - further into the basement." Harland informed her as Eleanor's eyes widened in realization. Killian breathed in sharply as Erik looked down. Boone just clasped his hands together respectfully, ready to hear the news Eleanor would bring to Harland. "She's probably dead, but I ain't leaving until I know for sure. I'd have gone looking myself, except I wouldn't last a minute out there. You and your friends, on the other hand, seem pretty resourceful. Find my friend and I'll get out of your way." Harland finished telling her.

"Harland....I'm sorry." Eleanor began as Harland frowned down at her. "Unfortunately..." She tried to say to the ghoul as Harland cut her off shaking his head.

"I see." He spoke sadly. "Well, spare me the details. Damn it, I'm going to miss that crooked, yellow smile...all right, you did your part, so I'll do mine. Look around up here if you want. I'm going to make a break for topside." Harland said to Eleanor as she nodded.

"Only one room isn't clear the rest is safe." Killian told the ghoul as he nodded and walked away. Erik coughed getting Eleanor's attention as he gestured to leave the room. 

"Come on, lets clear that room." He told her as she agreed. The group exited the room leaving the sullen and grieving Harland to himself. Raising their weapons they made it down the hall and went right to the last room. The last room they hadn't cleared yet. Eleanor nodded and Boone reached for the open button. He pressed it as the door opened with a loud squeak. The group moved in frowning, but keeping their weapons ready as they came face to face with a Nightkin next to a bighorner skull they believed. "What the hell..." Erik said under his breath confused.

"What's that, Antler? We have a visitor?" The Nightkin mumbled to himself from where he stood behind a desk. "An assassin, more like! I say kill it, Antler. For safe's sake!" He exclaimed loudly he looked around confused for a moment. "Huh?...Okay, Antle. I'll ask." He spoke making the group extremely confused. "Hi, humans. Why you come here?" The nightkin asked them.

"I came here on behalf of the ghouls upstairs." Eleanor replied gripping her gun tighter.

"Humans who is friend to ghouls? Suspicious." He told her and the others.

"Yeah, says the one talking to himself." Erik commented quietly as Killian elbowed him to shut up.

"You mean the ones upstairs. Antler used intercom, told them stay put. But they want to come down in basement anyways? I cannot allow. My kin are...not right in head like I am." He said angrily but quickly calmed down as Killian gave him an odd look. "They attack you on sight. Ghouls too. They crazy."

"Are you all right? You sound...strange." Eleanor trailed slowly.

"I am in command of my faculties! In command of my troops! Antler guides me in all things! As I, in turn, guide my kin!" The Nightkin yelled in a slightly angry voice.

"Who is Antler?" Killian asked the nightkin.

"Who is Antler? WHO IS ANTLER?" He shouted at them angrily. "Antler, the human asks about you! What do I tell it?" The Nightkin asked himself as after moment of silence he spoke again. "All right. All right...yes, yes, of course. Who Antler is, not important to you. Antler wants that you deal with me." He said to her shortly.

"And who are you, exactly?" Eleanor inquired calmly.

"Me? I am devoted to Antler. But before Antler? Hmm..." He hummed as the group waited still holding their guns raised slightly. "Captain, once. Last name, Davison. First name...don't remember. I commanded a troop of Nightkin. The Master's elite. A great honor, very proud. Something happened. We wandered the desert. Life without Master was...hard. The other's minds going strange, going crazy. But then I found us a new master. I find us Antler! Since then, everything's been going really well." Davison said very proudly.

"Maybe...I can help." Eleanor tried to reason.

"Good. Antler brought us here for a reason....why was that, Antler?" He asked "Antler". "Right! A piece of paper. Shipment invoice. Hundreds of Stealth Boys sent here a long time ago..." Davison rambled on as Eleanor glanced back.

"You're not seriously going to help him?" Erik and Boone asked her in disbelief.

"No. No way." She whispered quietly.

"Good. Stealth Boys are what messes up their minds. They don't need anymore." Killian said in relief as Eleanor shrugged and turned back to Davison.

"But Stealth Boys must be in the one room one we don't search yet - the one we can't search." He rationalized to her.

"Why can't you search the last room?" She asked baffled but had an idea of why.

"A ghoul. But not squishy like others. This ghoul is tough." Davison started to tell Eleanor. Harland. " I thought Antler said send my kin into that room, but three died. Ghoul is a crack shot and set traps too. After, I realize I heard Antler wrong. So I lock the door to keep kin out and wait for Antler to tell me what to do. Then you come along. Antler says you are solution." He finished saying to her.

"I'm sorry...but I can't." She stated strongly, she didn't want to help poison the nightkins anymore than they already did themselves.

"WHAT?!" Davison screeched as Erik quickly grabbed her and the two toppled out of the way. As Davison attacked the other three. 

"Stay down!" Killian told the two as the two ducked down and Boone, ED-E, and Killian took care of Davison. It wasn't until they heard the shoot of ED-E's laser that Eleanor and Erik looked up at the three seeing Davison's body.

"Holy shit."


	6. Goodbye Ghouls, Hello New Friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: The next to chapters will include a friends OC.]

"Is the way clear?" Jason asked Eleanor, after taking care fo Davison the small group had returned to back to the group of ghouls. This time Eleanor was the only one to approach Jason instead of Killian and her. She had no idea what the ghoul's next move was, she didn't explore any further than the office Davison was camped in, in the basement of the building.

"The "demons" are gone, Jason." She informed the ghoul who's face turned to joy.

"Praise the creator! And bless you, wanderer! The way is clear. I will lead my flock through the basement to the sacred site!" He explained to her as she crossed her arms and listened. "I hope you will come find us there, wanderer! There is much to be done." Jason told her, Eleanor thought to herself that she had no choice if she needed to ghouls to leave this place.

"Of course." She nodded as Jason smiled before walking away. She walked up to her group as they looked at her and ED-E beeped. "I guess we're going to help them with whatever the hell they need help with." Eleanor shrugged nonchalantly. 

"Well, the fast they go, the better." Boone commented as Erik hummed in agreement.

"Aye, mate. We need to get back on the road with the information to find that prick, Benny." Erik brought up as Eleanor pursed her lips at his comment.

"Hold on, let's just see whats needed to get them to leave first." Killian raised his hand as Eleanor nodded.

"He's right. Come on, we better get to the basement." She gestured as the group went down to the basement. They went through Davison's office and found a hatch to the sub-basement and from there they followed the tunnel to a room where she spotted Jason and Chris as well as the other ghouls outside near the rockets in spacesuits. "Jason." Eleanor nodded as she walked up to the ghoul.

"I waited to speak with you one last time before I descended to the launch pad, wanderer." He begins to tell her as she rose an eyebrow. "I want you to know that we will remember for all eternity how you delivered us to the threshold of the Great Journey. Our preparations are nearly complete, but the rockets that will carry us to salvation are yet missing vital components." Jason sighed as Erik and Boone shuffled impatiently, ED-E let out a low beep, and Eleanor and Killian simply listened. "If you would still help us, wanderer, speak to Christ. He can tell you what is missing." He suggested to Eleanor. "There is no way we can thank you enough, wanderer. Your arrival here was a blessing. We will remember you always." He continued on rambling as a thought came to Eleanor's mind. What about Chris?

"Let's talk about Chris, Jason." She spoke up as he looked at her.

"After all that you have done for us, I suppose you deserve to knowing everything..." He trailed as he began to explain to her and the others. "When Chris came to us, we tried to convince him that he was human. But this only angered him. He seemed...lost. We decided to let him stay with us for a few days, over the course of which we learned that his technical skills far surpassed our own. It became clear that the creator had sent him us, to ensure the success of the Great Journey." Jason continued on as Eleanor glanced back at Killian who wore a frown on his face. "Equally clear was that Chris should labor in blessed ignorance of his humanity, and his inability to make the journey himself. It is not coincidence that two humans have been vital to the success of the Great Journey. It is my belief that the creator sent you and Christ to expiate the sins of your kind against mine. You are redeemers both." He told her as she suppressed a scoff.

"So you're going to leave Chris behind?" She asked the ghoul.

"Such is the creator's will. Vision upon vision has shown me, were Chris to accompany us, he would die in minutes. The radiation around the launch pad alone would kill Chris in minutes. The radioactivity of the Far Beyond is much stronger." He explained longly to her as Eleanor let out a quiet sigh.

"Well, it's none of my business." She breathed as the others looked at her surprised, but stopped and then wore looks of agreement.

"Chris shall be declared the Saint of the Great Journey before we depart. I hope this will ease his sadness..." Jason spoke in a sad tone as Eleanor realized his remorse and guilt.

"Goodbye, Jason." She put out a hand for him to shake. Jason shook her hand gently in response as he just gave a simple nod to the rest of them.

"There is no way that we can thank you enough, Eleanor. Your arrival here was a blessing. We will remember you always." He promised her as she gave him a short smile. Jason returned it before walking away and leaving, Eleanor, Chris, and the others behind. Eleanor turned around and walked over to Chris as the man turned her sulkily. 

"Jason says that I am to cooperate with you on the final tasks necessary to launch the Great Journey." Chris told her with a hint of resentment in his voice as he spoke.

"How can I help?" She asked the man crossing her arms.

"I was close to completing the work on the rockets before we were driven into hiding on the top floor." He began to explain to Eleanor as she frowned confused. "Two components were missing: a quantity of Isotope-239 an igniting agent, and a set of thrust control modules. The igniting agent is highly radioactive, and decays quickly. That's why we can't use the drums that leaked down on the launch pad." Chris continued as Eleanor listened on quietly. "It's no longer potent enough. I need you to find an intact shielded container of the igniting agent. As for the thrust control modules, they were custom-built for these rockets. They won't even launch without them." He finally finished as Eleanor slowly nodded.

"Got it. I'll get right on that." She told the man as he grumbled and walked away. She'd ask him about the different things if she needed to. She turned and went over to Killian, Erik, Boone, and ED-E. "You guys know any places we could find this stuff? Though I'd ask you instead of him." Eleanor looked at them as Boone nodded.

"I have an idea on the Isotope. I'd have to go back to Novac though." He told her as she nodded again.

"Okay. Go with Erik." She agreed. "I spotted a ladder leading outside on the way in." Eleanor added as he nodded and she turned to Killian and Erik. "Any idea about the thrust control modules?" She questioned as Killian hummed then after a moment nodded.

"Yeah, I know somewhere. It'll be price, but she'll put the price down for me. I know her." He told Eleanor as she nodded slowly.

"Okay. I'll go with you. ED-E will go with us as well." She planned as ED-E let out an excited beep making Eleanor chuckle.

"Sounds good to me. Let's go, Erik." Boone nodded in agreement as Killian and Erik made noises of agreement too. Erik and Boone turned around and head off as Eleanor looked at Killian who gave her a small smile as she returned it.

"Let's get going."

-8-

By the time Killian and Eleanor had returned from the Gibson scrapyard with the thrust control modules, Boone and Erik had met up with them and they descended into the REPCONN building. Boone had informed her he was right about his suspicions saying that these toy rockets from the dino shop in Novac seemed to have what they needed. Eleanor, in turn, said she was lucky she had Killian as Old Lady Gibson lowered her price for them and Killian and Eleanor pooled their money together to buy the modules. All she could think was someone better pay them back for this shit. They got to the lower basement as Eleanor took the modules and rockets from Killian and Boone and went over to Chris as he looked up and spotted her.

"Have you found the components we discussed?" Chris questioned her as she nodded.

"I found thrust control modules." She answered showing him the modules in her arms.

"Indeed you did." He hummed stepping over and taking them from her as he looked at them. "And they seem to be in excellent condition." Chris added impressed. "All I need now is the igniting agent we discussed earlier." He told her as she held up one of the rockets.

"What about these rocket souvenirs?" Eleanor asked handing the rocket to Chris. "The stuff inside glows." She shrugged unsurely.

"Yes, that's Isotope-239, all right." Chris nodded as he studied the rocket. "And there's enough here to launch the rockets." He informed her as Eleanor let out a breath of relief. Finally.

"The rockets are set to go, right?" She rose an eyebrow as she let her arms drop to her side.

"Yes. I'll tell Jason that the Great Journey can begin." Chris said to her as he stepped away over to the comm on the wall. "We have everything we need to launch the rockets, Jason! The Great Journey can begin!" He announced to the ghoul leader.

"Hey, Chris." She called out to the man as he looked back at her. "There's a place called Novac not far from here that could use your expert knowledge." Eleanor suggested as he stared at her.

"Guess I have somewhere to go then." He told her as she nodded and looked back at the others and nodded as she walked away from Chris who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Let's go upstairs." She said as the group made their way upstairs as Jason made his speech through the speakers as they went to the top where the ghouls and Chris were hiding before. Then they made their way to a door the led outside to control room that would launch the rockets as Eleanor went over to a console that was a couple feet away from the switch as she frowned. "Hold on there's something up with the settings." Eleanor muttered, she waved Killian over and the two quickly realized that their trajectories were of course some. She was glad she was good with technology. She fixed as fast as she could before she went over to the switch and pulled it as alarms went off and she watched as the launch pad opened and the rockets flew off. Not as smoothly as it seemed they would. "Now let's get back to Novac and get that info from Manny." Eleanor told them as they nodded.

"And then get out of Novac." Boone suggested as they agreed and headed out of the REPCONN building and made their way back to Novac. They got back to Novac as Eleanor told them to go back to their motel room and she would go speak to Manny. Of course, ED-E stayed by her side as she made her way over to Manny's motel room that Boone told her about. She knocked on the door as it opened to reveal a dark haired man she assumed was Manny.

"Are you Manny?" She asked him as he nodded. "Can I come in?" Eleanor asked again as he stepped back and let Eleanor walk inside with ED-E right behind her.

"What's going on, man?" He questioned as he closed the door and gestured for her to take a seat at the table. The two sat down as she let out a sigh and looked at Manny.

"I'm looking for a man in a checkered coat." She told as she leaned back in her seat.

"Sure, I know him. What do you want with him?" He nodded as he asked.

"He has something of mine." She answered him vaguely.

"You talking about that chip?" Manny raised an eyebrow as she looked at him surprised. How the hell did he know about the chip? "Man, I don't think he's giving it up." He said to her as it was silent for a moment. "Well listen, I can definitely help you find him, but I've got problems of my own. Maybe we can do a trade. You need my help. There's something I need, too." Manny explained as she frowned having an idea of where this was going.

"What do you need?" She asked slowly as ED-E let out a wary beep.

"Novac, it's home for me now. I want that to be for good. I like it here, and I've left too many homes behind." He started to say as she listened quietly. "But the only resource we got here is junk. Without it, the people wouldn't have anything to trade. They'd all have to leave. We get most of it up the road from the old rocket test site. But a bunch of ghouls showed up one day and took it over. We can't get in there now." Manny explained longly to her as she raised a hand to stop him.

"Let me stop you there. I already took care of it." She informed him as he looked at her surprised.

"Really? Unbelievable, man! I knew that wasn't gonna be easy." He exclaimed in shock. "But I had a good feeling about you. You look like you been through a lot." Manny said as Eleanor silently thought to herself you wouldn't believe it if I told you. 

"Now about the man I'm looking for..." She trailed bringing it up.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything I know, like I promised." Manny nodded keeping to his agreement. "The guy you're looking for, Benny, he was traveling with some members from my old gang. They were going to Boulder City." He informed her as she let out a breath. Finally.

"Any idea why they went that way?" She asked curiously.

"No clue. I know Benny hadn't paid up yet. Maybe that was where they were supposed to get square." Manny shrugged unsurely as Eleanor sighed.

"Okay. Where is Boulder City?" Eleanor changed the subject to directions she needed.

"It's straight up Route 93 from here. Just keep following the road north." He explained to her as she nodded and gave him a thankful look.

"Thank you." She told him standing up as he nodded.

"Thank you, too." He held out a hand as the two shook hands as ED-E beeped happily and Eleanor then left his motel room. She headed up to hers and she went inside to her motel room as Boone looked at her from where he sat at the table with Erik and Killian sat on the bed with a book.

"So...?" Erik raised an eyebrow as Boone crossed his arms and Killian put down his book standing up and going over to Eleanor who gave them all a smile and said.

"We're going to Boulder City, boys."

-8-

"No offense, but you look like you've traveled a long way down some bad roads." A woman spoke up sitting down next to Eleanor at the table. The group had carried on from Novac in the morning and stopped at the 188 trading post for food. It was an NCR trading post, pretty barren, minus some soldiers, the woman speaking to her right now, and a few others. But they couldn't go to Boulder City on an empty stomach, they had no idea what was going on there. "Where'd you come from?" She asked curiously, Eleanor was hesitant for a moment to answer her, but went ahead and did anyway.

"The grave." Eleanor answered not sure if the woman would take her answer seriously. 

"Huh." The woman's eyebrows rose in surprise at Eleanor's response. "Well, in that case, I take it back. You look pretty good given the circumstances." She said nonchalantly, Eleanor unsure whether to take it as a compliment or not.

"You're telling me." Erik commented as Killian elbowed him lightly. Boone hid a smirk as ED-E simply beeped and the woman grinned amusedly.

"Well, welcome, then. I'm Veronica." She introduced herself holding out a hand for Eleanor to shake. "I live in a hole in the ground." Veronica added as Eleanor chuckled shaking her hand.

"I'm Eleanor. I have no memory and was buried in a hole in the ground." She greeted saying the last part jokingly.

"I'm Killian and this is my reckless husband Erik." Killian began to make the rest of the introductions. "This is Boone, he recently joined us from Novac and this is ED-E." He finished as Boone nodded to Veronica and Erik gave her a sarcastic salute, as ED-E let out an excited beep making Veronica chuckle.

"But...you said you live in a hole in the ground, right?" Eleanor spoke up confused as Veronica nodded.

"Well, a bunker, if you want to get technical. I think it sounds more interesting my way." Veronica shrugged sheepishly. "But I'm not there much anymore. I'm usually out here picking up food and supplies for my family. Whatever they need." She explained longly as Eleanor nodded along.

"So you just leave your family in the bunker?" Eleanor made a face of confusion as she tilted her head.

"Yeah. I'm not worried. They can handle themselves." Veronica said calmly letting out a small sigh. "But somebody has to get the groceries, know what I mean?" She looked at Eleanor who nodded slowly. "And actually these days I think they'd rather have me out here anyway. But that's a whole story." Veronica stated waving her hand. "So, listen, can I ask you something on the level?" She asked Eleanor who sat up straight.

"Go ahead." Eleanor nodded as the others frowned.

"I had a run-in with this group calling themselves the Brotherhood of Steel. Pretty strange bunch." Veronica began to say making Eleanor raise her eyebrow as Killian continued to frown and the other looked confused. "Do you know anything about them?" She asked curiously.

"The Brotherhood of Steel?" Killian spoke up confused, he knew who they were, but why was Veronica asking?

"They're usually harmless unless you use advanced technology around them." Eleanor answered with a shrug surprising her friends. She lost her memory about her past, not about the tribes and shit.

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem for me. I can't afford anything like that." Veronica responded nodding slowly. "Hey, so where are you headed, anyway?" She changed the subject.

"Going to see an old friend." Eleanor said vaguely.

"This is quite a journey you're going on, then. Must be an interesting relationship to have brought you all this way." Veronica replied to Eleanor's answer as Eleanor chuckled.

"You're telling me." Eleanor said under her breath as Veronica and Killian smiled hearing her. Boone and Erik turning away from the conversation to eat.

"I'll be honest. You're the first person I've run across out here that looks like she can really handle herself." Veronica complimented with a smile that Eleanor returned.

"Thanks." She told Veronica who nodded.

"Anyway, there are places I've never been to that'd be too dangerous for just me." Veronica continued to ramble as Eleanor and Killian listened quietly. "What do you think? Maybe I could join your merry band, we could travel together, help each other out." She brought up as Eleanor looked at her surprised. Eleanor glanced at Killian and the others.

"I think she'd make a great addition." Killian smiled at her.

"Sure." Boone shrugged as ED-E beeped happily.

"I don't fucking care." Erik said nonchalantly making Eleanor chuckle amused.

"You don't look like much, though. What do you bring to the table?" Eleanor questioned her calmly giving the woman a look as she spoke.

"Heh. Good." Veronica let out a small laugh. "That's the look I was going for. Trust me on this one, though. You'll be glad you brought me along." She reassured Eleanor. "If I turn out to be a burden, we can part ways at any time. No hard feelings." Veronica simply said as Eleanor nodded along.

"Okay!" Eleanor clapped her hands together. "Let's travel together." She told Veronica as a bright smile appeared on the woman's face.

"Now you're talking." Veronica beamed with excitement. "One thing you should know, first, though. I asked you about the Brotherhood because I'm one of them." She admitted as they looked at her shocked for a moment. That was...new. "I know, I know. But I had to know how you'd react when I told you. We've made a lot of enemies. You still okay bringing me along?" Veronica asked slowly as Eleanor looked at her.

"Actually, I'm more comfortable now that I know you've had some training." Eleanor confessed as Veronica chuckled at her.

"I'm great at punching people. I'm not gonna lie. It's gift." She said in a joking tone as she patted Eleanor's arm. "Well, thanks for taking a chance on a naive young girl from California with stars in her eyes and a pneumatic gauntlet on her hand." Veronica remarked as Erik let out a snort. "Let's hit the road, huh?" She raised an eyebrow as Eleanor nodded.

"Let's go."

-8-

"Boulder City, huh?" Veronica hummed looking at her as the city came into view in front of the group ahead. It didn't really look pretty. Of course, Erik and Killian had explained about the battle that had gone down in Boulder City between the legion and NCR. Big fucking not so big of a surprise to Eleanor and Veronica who refrained from rolling their eyes around the only NCR man in the group - Boone. Eleanor and Veronica glanced at each other confused at the angry female shouts ahead. Eleanor and Veronica sped up leaving the three men behind confused as ED-E sped after them.

"Eleanor! Veronica!" The three called after them. The two came up to a grave where a ginger-haired woman was holding a gun tightly, with a ghoul next to her trying to calm her down.

"If those fucking Khan's don't leave in peace-" She began to rant angrily as Ghoul cut in.

"Boss! Calm down!" He tried to calm the woman who shook her head.

"No, Raul! I'm trying to mourn my son and these fuckers decide now to have a standoff!" The woman continued her rant as the ghoul Raul continued trying to calm her down.

"Hey, whats wrong?" Eleanor spoke up raising her hand as the two whipped around to face the women.

"Who are you?!" The woman demanded angrily as Raul pushed down her gun forcefully. These two had nothing to do with this. Raul and the woman frowned as Erik, Killian, and Boone caught up with Veronica, Eleanor, and ED-E.

"I'm Eleanor. This is Veronica and ED-E." She introduced calmly as the woman slowly began to calm down. "Those three are Erik, Killian, and Boone. We're passing by...looking for someone." Eleanor explained as Raul spoke up.

"I'm Raul. This is Saber." He greeted calmly as well.

"Well, good luck finding anyone in there." Saber scoffed as Eleanor frowned confused.

"What do you mean?" Veronica asked the woman baffled.

"There's Khan's in there making a mess with the NCR. I don't know the full details. You'd have to ask a soldier." Saber explained anger evident in her voice, Eleanor's eyes widened, they could be the Khans from Goodsprings. "All I was trying to do is visit my son." She added pointing down at the grave as Eleanor looked at her sympathetically.

"I'm sorry." She said in a sad tone as Saber slowly nodded.

"Why did you come this way to find someone?" Raul asked the group as Eleanor sighed.

"Actually it's mainly me. The fucker I'm looking for shot me in the head, took something of mine, and buried me alive." Eleanor explained crossing her arms as Raul and Saber looked at her shocked. Veronica turns and looks at Eleanor with surprise, guess that's what she meant by the grave.

"Yeah, we were just as shocked." Erik commented.

"We agreed to help." Killian added as Boone kept quiet.

"I think. We should deal with this Khan mess." Eleanor suggested as her group nodded in agreement. "I would appreciate yours and Raul's help." She brought up to the woman who slowly nodded.

"Okay. There's an NCR soldier at a gate we can speak to. I saw him." Saber informed Eleanor who hummed as she took in a deep breath and looked at Boulder City. She was another step closer or hopefully already there. She wanted to bad to catch Benny. That's all she wanted. Now was a chance. She faced them all as she nodded and said calmly.

"All right, let's do this."


	7. Negotiations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I'm going to do the ncr/kings quest, but the quest where you save rex will be mentioned being done by Eleanor in this chapter or the next depending on when i finish the ncr/kings quest. Also certain dialogue when it comes to the king/ncr quest will not be covered but will be mentioned also in the game i have eleanor do couple other freeside quests they will be mentioned too. i just dont want to drag certain things on.]

Eleanor had quickly talked to a soldier at a memorial, noticing Saber's impatience as she did. She really didn't blame the woman. She just wanted this stand-off down and over with. So, after finishing her conversation with the man the group started walking over to the gate where another NCR soldier stood. Eleanor studied Saber as she did, she noticed the way she carried herself. She seemed angry and grief-ridden at the same time. Eleanor had a guess to as why, but decided against asking the woman.

"Sorry, but you've got to stop." The man stopped Eleanor making her frown. "We've got a situation with some Great Khans right now. The brass at McCarran has ordered me to lock down the ruins until it's been resolved." He informed her as Eleanor slowly nodded.

"Well, that's great, but we're not NCR so we don't have to listen." Saber said in hostile tone stepping forward as Eleanor whipped out her arm stopping the woman as Raul and Killian grabbed Saber's arms gently pulling her away.

"Hey, calm down, mad max!" Veronica exclaimed at the woman startled by her action as Saber just glared at Veronica.

"Sorry about her." She apologized to the man who nodded. "Anyway, what's going on with the Great Khans?" Eleanor asked the man even though she already knew from Saber.

"One of my patrols was on its way back from Novac when it came under fire from the Great Khans." The man began to explain to the group and Eleanor. "They radioed for reinforcements, but instead of waiting for us, they chased the Khans into the ruins where they were caught in a crossfire. No deaths, but not all of the squad got out. The Khans have Private Ackerman and Private Gilbert as hostages." He finished telling them as Eleanor grimaced at those men's stupidity.

"These Great Khans might have something of mine - a Platinum Chip." Eleanor said, she was going to start with this possibly get something from the guy.

"Once the Great Khans have been killed or captured, you're welcome to retrieve any property they've taken from you." He answered her as Killian tugged on her arm and Eleanor turned to him.

"Offer to negotiate with the Khans. Choose a peaceful way." He whispered to her as she reluctantly nodded. She turned back around and faced the NCR soldier.

"I may be able to negotiate a deal with the Great Khans." Eleanor offered hoping the man would agree.

"Normally, I'd turn you down since I have no idea who you are, but considering that the hostages are as good as dead when we attack..." The man trailed with a sigh as Eleanor and Killian shared a glance. "All right, I'm going to give you a chance to talk to the Great Khans. Their leader is a man named Jessup. If we hear shooting, we'll be coming in, but it'll probably be too late for you." He informed her saying the last part in a grim tone as he spoke.

"I understand." Eleanor simply said to him.

"Good luck." He nodded to her. Eleanor looked at her group as she nodded and they walked past the man and opened the gate leading to the ruins. Eleanor walked in the ruins past the NCR men over to a building that looked like one of the last ones that was partially intact from the original attack. Eleanor came up to the door and took a deep breath. 

"Erik, Boone, Raul, and ED-E. Stay outside. Veronica, Saber, Killian, and I will go inside and negotiate." She told them as they reluctantly agreed, but Saber looked ready as Eleanor slowly opened the door and entered the dark room where the hostages and the Khan were. Eleanor looked up as she came face to face with Jessup.

"What the hell? You're that that courier Benny wasted back in Goodsprings. You're supposed to be dead." Jessup stared at her in shock as Saber looked at Eleanor surprised.

"Well, I'm not and I believe you have something of mine." Eleanor crossed her arms stepping forward.

"Yeah...about that..." Jessup coughed rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as Eleanor groaned.

"Where's the Platinum Chip?" She asked the man her arms dropping to her side.

"Don't have it. Benny stole it, right before he stabbed us in the back." Jessup began to explain as Eleanor shook her head. Not surprised. "He's probably back at the Strip by now, laughing at me." He said angrily as Eleanor sighed. Well she knew where to get to Benny. Now she needed to negotiate.

"Well. Thats over and done with, bub." Saber cut in annoyed before Eleanor could say anything. Making Killian and Veronica raise their eyebrows in surprise. "You need to negotiate with the NCR, before I blow your heads for interrupting me grieving." She said angrily as Jessup stepped back alarmed. "I'd appreciate it if you do it now!" Saber nearly shouted as Eleanor stepped in front of her.

"Calm down. Let me handle this, Saber." Eleanor told the woman who huffed.

"Fine, Eleanor. Deal with these idiots. And fast." She crossed her arms angrily as Jessup frowned at Eleanor's name.

"Sorry, Jessup. But she's right. Let's talk about settling things between you and the NCR." Eleanor suggested snapping Jessup out of it as he looked at her.

"What's to negotiate? The NCR backs off, we walk out of here, nobody gets hurt." Jessup scoffed crossing his arms.

"Okay. Free the hostages now, and I'll have the NCR escort you out of their territory." Eleanor offered as Jessup hummed and seemed to be inching towards accepting the offer. 

"I can't believe I'm doing this, but all right, the hostages can go. The NCR had better keep their end of the deal, though." Jessup slowly agreed to the deal as he held out his hand with a lighter in it and Eleanor over to the counter slowly. "Here - " He began handing her the lighter as she slowly took it. " - a souvenir for you. It's Benny's lighter. Shove it up his ass when you catch up with him." He growled as she smirked and nodded.

"All right. I'll go talk to the man in charge of this squad." She told him as Jessup simply nodded as she, Saber, and the other two began walking out of the building as Jessup stopped her as he spotted the Great Khan jacket she wore.

"Hey, Eleanor. Whats your last name?" He asked as she looked back at him with a frown.

"Zhao. Why?" She questioned him slowly.

"Sounds familar. Like a Great Khan name." He told her as her eyes widened. "Thats all I know. I swear." He raised his hands after a moment and she nodded as the four walked outside to Erik and the others.

"So, how did it go?" Raul was the first to speak up as Eleanor was stuck on what Jessup had said to her.

"These assholes are finally fucking leaving." Saber said as if she was finally getting a reprieve. 

"Well, we need to talk to that Lieutenant about escorting the Khans out." Killian spoke up crossing his arms.

"It was the deal." Veronica added as the others nodded and ED-E beeped.

"Come on, lets talk to him." Eleanor spoke up after a while. The group then headed back to the gate to talk to the man as Eleanor stepped through and up to him as he faced her looking at her gratefully.

"I'm glad you were able to get my people freed, but there's a new problem. I just got ordered to take out the Great Khans, hostages or not." He informed her grimly as Eleanor stepped back.

"The Great Khans let the hostages go in exchange for their own freedom." She tried to reason with the man, she did not want this to backfire.

"My hands are tied. I can't go against orders...can I?" He asked her unsure as she took a deep breath.

"If you have any integrity, then you'll honor the deal." Saber spoke up instead of Eleanor surprising them all as the man nodded.

"You're right." He nodded to Saber who looked smug and Eleanor gave her a quick impressed look. "The Great Khans are free to go." The man announced as Eleanor gave him a small smile.

"Thank you." She held out a hand shook the man's hand.

"No, thank you." He corrected her as he began shaking the others hands as they walked away and Eleanor turned to face Raul and Saber.

"Thank you for helping me. Hopefully, you'll be able to grieve in peace, Saber." Eleanor gave her a small smile that Saber slowly returned making Raul chuckle quietly.

"Thanks, Eleanor. I appreciate agreeing to deal with this. This day is important for me." Saber told her holding out her arm as Eleanor clasped her upper arm and Saber did the same as the two shook hands in mutual agreement and peaceful departure.

"Well, it was nice meeting you all. And good luck." Raul nodded to them shaking their hands as well.

"Yeah. Find that bastard Benny." Saber told Eleanor giving her a nodded. "And if you ever need help. Just call on us." She promised Eleanor who looked at her thankfully.

"I will. Goodbye, Saber, Raul." She told them both as they nodded.

"See ya later, mad max." Veronica saluted to the woman who shook her head.

"Be safe both of you." Killian said to them both as they nodded and Killian and Boone simply nodded as ED-E let out an excited beep making them chuckle as they began leaving Saber and Raul behind, waving to the two of them. They continued on coming over to the railroad station Eleanor walking around the front with ED-E and Veronica as she suddenly stopped as she spotted Victor.

"No, fucking way." She breathed going over to the robot who faced her with excitement.

"Fancy meeting you here, friend." He greeted her cheerfully.

"It's good to see you again, Victor." She responded calmly a slight smile on her face.

"Yup, but this is getting a might embarrassing - people are going to start to talk." He laughed as she chuckled quietly.

"How did you get here?" Eleanor asked him slowly and confused.

"Just rolling along on my spurs. Looks like I just might make it to New Vegas after all." He informed her as she quietly listened to him talk as Veronica watched confused.

"You see what happened in there?" She pointed back to Boulder City.

"Yup. Guess it's just down to you and fancy-pants. I wouldn't worry about him - he looked all hat and no cattle if you ask me." He reassured the woman who honestly agreed with him.

"Did you see Benny come this way?" She asked the robot curiously and just in case.

"Fancy-pants? No, I ain't seen hide-nor-hair of him since the tussle in Goodsprings. I'm sure he ran back to the soft-living of New Vegas, though." Victor said to her as she crossed her arms and slowly nodded when Victor finished talking.

"Well, good seeing you again, Victor. See you soon...in New Vegas probably." She said as he chuckled and she smiled.

"Look me up when you get to New Vegas, Ellie. I'll buy the first round." He offered brightly as she nodded and waved to him as herself, Veronica and ED-E walked away catching up with the other three who were talking and obviously to what just happened as Veronica turned to Eleanor confused and curious.

"Who was he?" Veronica asked the woman out of curiosity as Eleanor looked at her and said.

"He dug me up and saved my life."

-8-

"What are we doing here...at the kings?" Eleanor and Veronica frowned confused looking up at the sign to the building. Killian shook his head at the two as Boone just stood there. He knew why. Erik told Boone about himself and Killian. Eleanor stopped her eyes narrowing as she thought for a moment before snapping her fingers in realization. "OH! Your brother! Erik your brother! The king!" She exclaimed as Erik slowly nodded grinning as a king walked up to them from the entrance.

"Damn, Erik! Good to see you man!" He grinned shaking Eriks hand. "Glad you're still around too, Killian." The man nodded to Killian as he looked at the other three and ED-E. "You guys head in. He'll be happy to see you." He informed them.

"Thanks, man." Erik nodded as they stepped inside the old build as Eleanor and Veronica looked around and ED-E let out a loud beep. They walked over to a door where a man leaned against a wall next to it. "Pacer!" Erik greeted with a grin as the man looked ta him surprised.

"Erik. I'm surprised to see you here." He greeted the man as Erik shrugged.

"Some business in the strip. Need my brothers fake ID's." He explained to Pacer who nodded to Killian in greeting.

"Is he in there?" Killian pointed to the door.

"Yeah. He's the bored-looking guy by the stage if you don't remember what he looks like. Can't fucking miss him." Pacer informed the group slowly nodding as he looked at the other three. "Who are they?"

"This is Eleanor Zhao, Boone, and Veronica." Killian introduced as they all just nodded at Pacer. "Eleanor met us in Primm, we met Boone in Novac, and Veronica at post 188." He told Pacer who hummed as he unlocked the door and they walked in.

"If you aren't such bored looking man!" Erik shouted as Killian let out a small laugh and Veronica and Eleanor laughed at the kings face.

"Fuckin, Erik! My little brother! Look, Rexie, your uncles come to see us." The king exclaimed going over to him from his seat as the cyborg dog let out a bark.

"Good to see you, big brother." The two gave each other a quick hug as The King glanced at the others before his gaze landed on Killian.

"Glad you're taking care of him, Killian." He thanked the man as Killian shrugged.

"Not the only one now." Killian said as the king frowned. "This is Eleanor Zhao. We met here in Primm. Agreed to help her with something. But we need ID's to get into the strip." He explained to the king who slowly nodded.

"All right. Of course. Anything for my brother, his husband, and his friend." The King nodded with a hum as he looked at Eleanor.

"Thank you." She told him.

"Oh, and they are Boone, Veronica, and ED-E." Erik introduced the other three as Boone simply nodded, ED-E beeped, and Veronica saluted to him jokingly. 

"Well, I'll to work on that. But in the meantime. I got rooms here for ya'll stay here until I get the ID's." The King offered as they all nodded. "Good. I'll get Pacer to show you to your rooms." He smiled as Eleanor looked at Rex with a frown. "Pacer!" The King shouted as Pacer walked in. "Show my brother, his husband, and his friends to some rooms." He told the man who nodded as everyone but ED-E, Eleanor, Veronica walked away.

"Is Rex okay? He doesn't look well." Eleanor spoke up as the King noticed she didn't follow.

"No. Poor boy. He hasn't been feeling well lately, Eleanor. But anyway what is it you need?" He asked her looking down at the shorter woman as he gesture for her and Veronica to sit. The three sat down at the table as Boone looked back in.

"You two coming?" He asked as Eleanor shook her head.

"We're going to take care of some things. You three stay here and relax, okay?" She told Boone who nodded and walked off to tell Erik and Killian. "Anyway, King. I was hoping you might have some work for me. Just as a way to help Freesidem, I guess. For Erik. Since he grew up here.." Eleanor shrugged as the King chuckled and nodded.

"Maybe so. Maybe so. You look like you might be able to handle yourself, Eleanor." He spoke as Eleanor and Veronica glanced at each other. "Tell you what. You do me a favor, and I'll have some more work for you when it's done. Sound good?" The King asked her as she nodded.

"Whatever it is. We can handle it. I'm sure." Veronica said nodding slowly.

"What do you need us to do?" Eleanor asked the man calmly.

"I'll start you two off with something easy. Did you notice the bodyguards for hire near the gates when you entered Freeside?" He questioned the woman who nodded.

"They're not hard to miss." Veronica remarked.

"It's good money if you can stay alive long enough. Freeside's not as safe as it used to be, so the money is well earned." He continued on as Eleanor listened. Where was he going with this? "Usually well earned, that is. Recently my men tell me that one of those bodyguards, fella named Orris, is making a little too much money. He's making a killing in repeat business. Once someone hires him they never want anyone else. I want you to find out why." The King explained as they both nodded again. "Specifically, I want you to hire him. Play the part of an innocent tourist and follow his lead. If nothing happens, so be it." He shrugs simply as Eleanor raises an eyebrow. "But I'm guessing things won't go so smoothly. Call it a hunch. So what do you say?" He looked at her as she hummed and shook her head.

"Sure. We're up for it." She nodded at the man.

"Okay, then. Once you part ways, return here. I'll look forward to hearing your report. Oh, and take this to cover the hiring cost." He added taking out caps and handing it to Eleanor who pocketed them. She and Veronica walked out of the stage area as Veronica looked at her confused.

"So, why are we going to help?" She asked Eleanor.

"We're going fix Freeside. I got a feeling we need to." Eleanor said as Veronica shrugged. She was fine with that. Eleanor looked at Veronica as she grinned and joked - making Veronica laugh.

"Let's go act like innocent tourists."

-8-

Veronica and Eleanor glanced at each other as they walked back into the kings. They hated Orris. He treated the two women like they were glass about to break the entire time. Both had to resist from punching him in the face. ED-E had made low wary beeps when the man was around them, but they had to listen to him blabber on and act like the hero - even when the two confronted him about the way he killed three stragglers. The King seemed amused at the annoyed expressions on the womens face when they returned and sat down.

"What do you two have for me?" He asked the two women his amused expression still on his face.

"Orris is fraud." Veronica spoke up crossing her arms with a scowl on her face.

"He fakes attacks on his clients and then plays hero." Eleanor continues patting Veronica's arm comfortingly.

"So that's how it happens..." He trails with a hum as Eleanor waits. "Okay, then. I'll have some guys pull him off the street when no one's looking." The King explained to the two who nodded. "You've shown me something, so maybe you can help me with a matter that's a little more important." He began to say as Eleanor frowned getting interested.

"I'm listening." Eleanor nodded resting her arms on the table.

"A lot of folks round these parts who've been here a while resent the sheer number of people that have come into the area since the Strip was built." The King continued explaining the two. "In turn, the newcomers, most of whom come from the NCR, have gotten ornery from being resented. Sometimes things get violent. "This is one of those occasions. Recently, a few friends of mine were attacked, and I want you to find out who did it." He told them as Eleanor's eyebrows rose as Veronica frowned. "Word's come that they just woke up over at the Old Mormon Fort just north of here. Head on over and see if they remember anything." The King finished as Eleanor nodded.

"We'll head over right away." She told him immediately.

"Good. I like that enthusiasm. Return when you have some information we can use." He nodded to her happy to see her and Veronica ready to help him and the kings. The two immediately left heading over to the Old Mormon fort to talk to the two men. Once they got there they were directed to the tent where the two men were.

"Are you Roy?" She asked the older man who was sitting down as he nodded.

"What is it? Can't you see I want to be left alone with my friend here?" He sighed as he looked at the two.

"The King asked me to look into your attack, Roy." She reassured the man in a calm tone.

"Oh. That's different then." He sat up straight after she spoke. "How can I help? I'll do anything to get the bastards that did this." Roy spoke with some anger in his tone.

"What can you tell me about the attack?" Eleanor asked continuing the conversation.

"Well, it happened at night. Around eleven. We had recently made some caps off a bit of scrap we found, and wanted to invest it wisely." Roy began to explain to the two who grabbed chairs and sat down. "As we were leaving the Wrangler, we must've taken a wrong turn, and ended up in the Squatter side of town." He continued explaining to the two women who listened quietly. "From out of nowhere, these big guys show up and start barking questions at us. Wanted to know if we were locals." Roy told them before pointing to the young man nearby. "The kid there's about as proud as a local around here gets, and started yelling back at them. Then all hell broke loose. Kid got the worst of it, sad to say." He sighed as Eleanor gave him a sympathetic look.

"Do you remember anything about the people who attacked you?" Eleanor asked again.

"They were big guys. Young, too. No old geezers like me. Hell, none of them looked even half my age. I was mostly face down in the dirt, begging for my life when it happened, so I only got a quick look at them." He explained to Eleanor who nodded. That was all they could get. Better than nothing she guessed.

"Thank you, Roy." She nodded to the man as they two women stood up and ED-E beeped.

"Odd, NCR would just attack locals for no reason that aren't posing a threat." Veronica muttered to Eleanor who shrugged.

"I hope you find the bastards that did this. If you want, try asking my friend Wayne over there about them. He saw more than I did." Roy informed them as the looked at Wayne who looked reluctant and in defense mode. "Wayne, it's okay. The King sent 'em." Roy reassured noticing his behavior.

"That true? Did the King really send you?" Wayne asked the two women.

"He did. And anything you could tell me about what happened might help." Eleanor nodded to the young man.

"I don't really know what else I can add. They were a bunch of guys. Better dressed than most Freesiders, I guess. That help?" Wayne said unsurely as Veronica and Eleanor glanced at each other.

"Every bit helps. Thanks." Eleanor said trying not to grimace. It didn't help much, to be honest.

"Sorry I couldn't help more, especially since you're being so nice." Wanye told her before stopped for a moment frowning. "Hey wait! I just remembered something. I might of heard one of the guys that attacked us call another by name." He said making Eleanor raise an eyebrow. "We had just about had it when one of them said "Hey Lou, we gotta go." At least I think he said Lou. It might have been something else." Wayne explained to them as Eleanor nodded.

"At least it's something." Veronica muttered crossing her arms.

"Now that I think of it, he said Lou-something. Something with a "T." Tenant! That's what he called him. Lou Tenant." Wayne exclaimed as Eleanor looked at Roy.

"He probably said "lieutenant", Wayne." Roy corrected him giving Eleanor an apologetic look. "The boy means well, but he's dumb as a mutant sometimes." He added as Eleanor hummed.

"Well, thank you both." She told them as they nodded and her and Veronica began leaving the tent as Eleanor and Veronica looked at each other as Veronica spoke up.

"I have a bad feeling about this, El."


	8. Freeside.

"Shit! Sorry!" Veronica fastly apologized as she slammed into another person making Eleanor roll her eyes. Eleanor looked up at the blonde haired doctor as Veronica looked at her. Eleanor frowned as the man simply shrugged. It was, of course, Veronica's luck that she body slammed into another person. Eleanor knew she could be clumsy at times, but Veronica could be pretty bad and it was hilarious.

"Not a problem." He responded in almost a dry tone making the two women raise their eyebrows. 

"I'm Eleanor. This clumsy dork is Veronica." Eleanor introduced herself, she might as well. She was going to return help anyway, get advice from the Followers on how to help. 

"I'm Arcade. I'm a researcher here." He responded as the two nodded. "Not even a particularly good one," Arcade muttered to himself as Eleanor crossed her arms.

"What kind of research?" Eleanor asked out of curiosity. She had a sniper, someone from the brotherhood, a big gun - Erik, and pretty much a negotiator like her in some ways...Killian. Plus ED-E, but someone with similar medical and scientific knowledge like her. She could use someone like Arcade. 

"Oh, you know. Finding alternative treatments for common illnesses and injuries. Stimpaks out of barrel cacti and other fantastic improbabilities. As far as fruitless wastes of time go, it's quite noble in its aims." Arcade remarked in almost a careless tone. He seemed very sarcastic and dry to her. Oh, they'd get along.

"You honestly, don't sound too enthusiastic about it." Eleanor tried not to chuckle as she spoke.

"I'm enthusiastic about helping people, but nihil novi sub sole." He spoke the last part in latin surprising Eleanor and Veronica.

"Isn't that the language that Caesar's Legion speaks?" Eleanor rose an eyebrow as a small offended look appeared on Arcade's face.

"Caesar can cite Cato to suit his purpose. Many people have spoken Latin. Some of them were quite pleasant." Arcade corrected her crossing his arms indignantly. "It's unfortunate that the language is now associated with the gentlemen across the river."

"Where did you learn that?" Veronica asked curiously.

"Not from the Legion, if that's what you're getting at." He began looking at Veronica who quickly shook her head. "Books. Sheet music. Gladiator movie holotapes. Bits and pieces here and there."

"Do you know much about Caesar?" Eleanor inquired calmly as the three started walking around the camp.

"I don't know anything that the others couldn't tell you. Caesar was one of the Followers. Before my time, of course." Arcade began to say to the two with a sigh. "He wanted to rebuild the new world in the image of the old. A sad story of good intentions gone bad. In that regard, he's hardly unique. If you set aside his leadership capabilities, extensive knowledge, and ruthless cunning, he's just another jerk who steps on people to get his way." He finished telling them as Eleanor and Veronica wore looks of agreement.

"Why do you do research instead of providing medical assistance?" Eleanor asked the man.

"Not all followers are "people persons." Besides, someone needs to do research. I have no problem with Julie sticking me back here." He shrugged as Eleanor silently agreed with the man.

"Oh, do I know non-people persons," Veronica muttered to herself only Eleanor could hear.

"Out of sight, out of mind. There are worse things one can be, though I do admit, it is a bit boring. Though it has a noble goal, I don't think this research will yield much fruit. No pun intended." He continued Veronica rolling her eyes as the obvious pun he made despite what he said, and Eleanor shaking her head amused.

"Why don't you come with us? I kinda need someone who speaks science and medicine too." Eleanor asked slowly, Arcade seemed like someone they could all use. Dry humor and all.

"No offense intended, but why should I go anywhere with you?" Arcade asked her defensively as she sighed.

"Look. I want to help here. Things are bad around here. I'd honestly like to make a difference, and I'd like you to help me." She told him honestly as he hummed.

"Hmm. That seems appropriately resolute and yet vague. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and go with you two, but let me be clear about something." He told her stopping her and Veronica confused. "If you plan to help Caesar's Legion, this is going to be a brief relationship. I may not have all the answers for how to fix Freeside's problems, but Caesar taking control isn't part of the solution. Fair?" Arcade questioned the two as Eleanor nodded.

"Fair. Why would want to help that piece of trash anyway?" She gave him a look as he shrugged.

"Fair." He repeated her making her chuckle as he glanced back at ED-E who was behind Veronica. "There's something about that robot that doesn't seem...all right to me. I'm not saying we shouldn't take it with us." Arcade rambled as Eleanor shook her head. "I'm just saying if it were to fall into Lake Mead and be irreparably damaged...and if you threw an EMP grenade in after it...well, there are worse things happening in the world, right?" He said as ED-E let out an offended beep at Arcade and the two women rolled their eyes.

"Come on. I'm trying to patch shit up between the NCR and The Kings." She told Arcade who looked mildly surprised, the three and the robot began leaving the fort as Veronica looked at Eleanor.

"Not such a bad type for you Eleanor, eh?" Veronica said quietly as she nudged her friend's side and Eleanor shook her head. Was Veronica that oblivious sometimes?

"I'd thought you would've noticed since you swing my way." Eleanor began to say making the woman frown confused as an amused smirk appeared on Eleanor's face. "He's gay, V." She simply stated as Veronica's eyes widened and an embarrassed look appeared on her face as Arcade and Eleanor started laughing at her. Veronica pouted as she looked at the two grumpily.

"Shut up."

-8-

"Have you found anything out? Or were you just here to chat?" The King asked her as she, Arcade, Veronica, and ED-E returned back to the kings. They passed by Boone, Killian, and Erik on the way who were playing cards. They just left them not wanting to get them involved. Eleanor took a deep breath before she answered him.

"The Local men were attacked by soldiers. One of the men was identified by rank." She answered him calmly.

"Bunch of soldier boys, huh? They usually don't come around these parts since their big base is on the other side of the Strip." He responded to Eleanor as she listened. "If they're comin' over here now, it's got to be for a reason. I didn't want to believe the rumors that they're looking to take over Vegas, but now..." The King trailed unsurely as he hummed. "If something big is going down, I'm sure rumors of it will have spread. Ask around, particularly in the squatter areas where the NCR folk hang. You might also mosey on over to the Mormon Fort and chat Julie Farkas up. The Followers tend to be in the know about these things. Just don't ask her what to do about it. She'll probably ask you to hug someone or somethin'." The King suggested as Arcade snorted quietly.

"Got it." Eleanor nodded as she elbowed Veronica and Arcade who trying not to laugh.

"Julie's got a mouth. Once she starts she never stops." Arcade muttered to Eleanor as the three left. The three quickly went to the Mormon fort and talked the Julie who told them to talk to someone named Elizabeth who was handing out supplies only to NCR citizens. Then they headed over to the squatter area getting a password to the place from a Missionary of the NCR to get into the supply place. From there the three-headed right to the train station - Arcade and Veronica sighing a lot much to Eleanor's annoyance. They got there and after getting and saying the password they went right over to Elizabeth.

"Welcome. There's food and water here for any citizen of the NCR. Please, have some." Elizabeth offered but Eleanor shook her head and gave a short smile.

"I'm good...um anyway. Do you serve food to the Locals as well?" Eleanor asked out curiosity. 

"No, I'm afraid we don't. Do you have a friend you wanted to bring in?" She asked Eleanor who again shook her head. 

"No. Actually. Why don't you serve Locals?" She continued asking the woman. This might lead to a peaceful solution.

"That's not really a pleasant topic of conversation. Let's just say we have our reasons." Elizabeth made an excuse as Veronica raised an eyebrow and Eleanor frowned.

"Sure you do." Arcade said under his breath.

"Julie Farkas told me to ask. She said it was important." Eleanor lied to the woman trying not to grimace as she did.

"You know Julie? Not everyone in the NCR sees eye-to-eye with the Followers, but they're okay in my book, mostly because of her." Elizabeth explained to Eleanor who nodded along. "If you really want to know, we sent an envoy to the King offering to coordinate the relief effort." He continued as Eleanor sighed, she had a feeling she knew what happened to that envoy.

"Let me guess, something bad happened to the envoy." She sighed again as she spoke to Elizabeth who nodded.

"The man was brutally beaten, and only barely survived. My superiors ordered the relief mission scrapped." Elizabeth responded to Eleanor as Veronica, Arcade, and Eleanor shared looks. "I managed to get clearance to carry out the mission anyway, but with greatly reduced support. Now there's not enough supplies to go around even if I wanted to serve the rest of Freeside, which I don't." She added as Eleanor looked at her surprised. Wow, was all Eleanor mouthed to Veronica and Arcade who shared looks of agreement. "But that's all in the past now. I should get back to work. Say hi to Julie for me." She smiled at Eleanor and the other two. ED-E beeping lowly as they turned to leave.

"Will do." Eleanor simply said as they left and returned back to the kings. Much to Eleanor's disappointment, because Erik wasn't physically with them. Pacer decided to come up to the small group and confront them before they speak to the King. He really was becoming a pain in her ass right now.

"Hey there, I heard that NCR soldier lady told you some wild story about them sending a messenger to us to work out some deal," Pacer spoke puffing out his chest to seem threatening as the three just shook their heads. "That's bullshit, and it's nothing to bother the King with. More like they sent someone to spy on us and he wasn't tough enough to last in Freeside. So do everyone a favor and keep your mouth shut about it, okay?" He growled at Eleanor who rolled her eyes.

"Why don't you do a favor a move out of my way?" She responded with a hiss as she shoved the man out of her way and stormed past him. Veronica and Arcade laughed as Pacer glared at Eleanor and ED-E let out an amused beep. "Sorry to disappoint, Pacer. I still think he should know about it." Eleanor flipped the man off, tired of him already.

"That's a shame. Well, do what you want. Just don't expect it to matter." Pacer grumbled as Eleanor sarcastically waved to him as she made her way over to the King and sat down at his table.

"I never noticed before. Looks like you got a new friend, Eleanor." The King smiled as he spotted Arcade. "One of the Followers?" He asked Arcade who nodded.

"His name is Arcade." Eleanor introduced Arcade to the King.

"Anyway, you find out somethin' about them soldier boys yet?" The King changed the subject to get on track.

"The NCR is distributing supplies in a building down by the old train station," Eleanor responded as she sat down next to the man and gave Rex a pat on the head as she did.

"Handing out supplies? Like food and stuff? That ain't nothing to get ruffled over. You find anything else?" The King rose an eyebrow as Eleanor nodded.

"They're only handing out supplies to NCR citizens." She added reluctantly. She did accidentally want to start a gang war between the two factions.

"Ah, that would explain the goons. They're here to keep people like my friends away from the good. That ain't something I support. No sir." The King hummed shaking his head.

"The woman in charge. Elizabeth. She said someone was sent to discuss the issue with you." Eleanor said finally getting to a point where speaking about this might lead to peace between them.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. They said what?" The King exclaimed surprised.

"She told me a man was severely beaten and barely survived." She explained shortly to the King.

"Huh, that would explain why they're all riled at us. Seems like we have a big misunderst-" The King began to say as one of the kings raced into the room out of breath. "What the hell?" He looked at the man confused as the man stopped.

"King, we've got problems." He told the man.

"Lay it on me. What's going on?" The King asked the man.

"There's a shootout going down near the train station. It's Pace and some strangers. Might be NCR." He answered the King's question.

"Fucking, idiot." Eleanor groaned facepalming as The King wore a look of agreement at her statement.

"What is that fool doing? I need you to head out there and try to defuse the situation. Tell them I'm willing to cooperate." He ordered her as Eleanor quickly nodded and shoved Veronica and Arcade ahead to get moving. The three sprinted out of the building running towards the train station. Once they got there Eleanor could hear the gunshots and rolled her eyes as she spotted Pacer hiding. Eleanor and the others ran over to the other side of the tracks where the NCR was camped.

"You three there! Keep your hands where we can see them! Draw a weapon and we will fire!" An NCR man ordered as they just nodded and made their way over to Elizabeth after Arcade pointed the woman out.

"This isn't really a good time. What did you want?" Elizabeth demanded as Eleanor refrained from shouting at the woman. She was getting on Eleanor's nerves.

"The King wants to help with the relief effort." Eleanor tried desperately.

"Like he helped the envoy we sent? No thanks." The woman laughed and shook her head, Veronica glaring at Elizabeth and Arcade looking extremely annoyed with her.

"That wasn't him. He didn't even know an envoy was sent." Eleanor said getting more fed up with the woman's arrogance.

"Then he should watch his back. We know for a fact that the envoy made it to their headquarters. Still, if the King's willing to deal with us, perhaps we can work something out. I'll tell my men to stand down." Elizabeth told Eleanor who let out a breath of relief. Finally.

"Come on. We better get back and tell him." Veronica said to Eleanor.

"Yeah. Maybe we should kick some dirt in Pacer's face on the way back?" Arcade offered as the two rolled their eyes amused. They turned around and left all three giving Pacer a dirty look on the way back. The man grumbled at them as they left to return to the King. Once returned they ran into Erik and Killian.

"Hey, guys." Eleanor smiled brightly at the two hugging them both. "Where's Boone?"

"Drunk and asleep." Erik grinned triumphantly. 

"Who's your new friend, Ellie?" Killian spoke up pointing to Arcade.

"Oh, Arcade. This is Erik and Killian. They're married. And Boone's upstairs. Probably brooding in his sleep." Eleanor remarked as Veronica snorted amusedly. "Guys this Arcade. Dry humor and sarcasm." She added as they chuckled.

"Hear what you're doing. Good job, Ellie. Take your time and help Freeside if you want before you confront Benny." Killian suggested as she nodded and smiled at him.

"Oh, my brothers waiting," Erik spoke up as she gave them another hug before going into the theater room and over to the King. The King looked at Eleanor quite impressed with her.

"I heard all about what happened. Maybe it's time for a little more talkin' and a little less fightin'." He greeted her impressed. "You've helped us plenty, so I'll tell you what. Just this once, name whatever you want, and if I can make it happen, it's done." The King promised Eleanor as he eyebrows rose. "Don't rush it, though. Toss it around in your head a little. You only get one favor from the King." He told her as she sat down for a moment and thought. 

"I'll get back to you. There's things I need to do." She told the man who nodded with a smile. From there Eleanor went to work. She kept thinking about her decision when she helped Freeside through the Followers and fixed up the King's dog Rex. It was a couple days of doing that, but she really didn't expect Benny to go anywhere. The guy was probably indulging himself in whatever the hell was in the Strip. And by the time that was all fixed and she returned to the King. She knew what she wanted. She was ready to cash in the favor. 

"Things have been lots better since you helped with those soldier boys, Eleanor. Thanks again." He thanked her as she walked up to the man. "So what can I do for you?" The King asked her as Boone, Erik, and Killian all walked into the theater room with their stuff ready to head into the Strip.

"About that favor you owe me..." She trailed as he nodded.

"Ask away." He told her.

"I want to join the Kings." She answered surprising everyone in the room, but Killian and Veronica. She had mentioned to the two when they were helping Rex about her choice of joining the Kings.

"Normally, we don't let outsiders join, and you'd be the first female King ever, but I think I can make an exception in your case." He responded to her as Eleanor nodded. "From this day forward, you're one of us, and no one in Freeside will mess with you if they know what's good for them. In addition, if you want to do something about that hair of yours, talk to Sergio. I'll let him know you're coming. Perhaps more importantly, you've earned the right to wear something a little more stylish. Here, wear it proudly." He rambled handing her a Kings uniform as she smiled and rolled it tightly tucking it into her large pack.

"Thank you." She nodded.

"Well. You're all headed out, I see." The King nodded as he pulled the fake ID's out. "I had them make one for your friend Arcade, last minute. But here they are." He handed the ID's to each other the group before looking at Erik and Eleanor. "You two are obviously always welcome, and so are the others." He nodded to Killian, Boone, and Veronica. The King and Erik gave each other a quick hug before the man shook everyone else's hands and the group left the Kings building heading right for the strip and right for Benny.

-8-

After Eleanor and the group used their ID's to enter the strip, Eleanor's eyebrows rose in surprise. It was nice, but in reality, Eleanor already had been told by Erik and Killian the true nature of the strip. Not that she was surprised at that. But the strip was an eccentric place, she had to admit that. Eleanor chuckled as Veronica let out a squeal at the sight of the strip, Killian smiled at Veronica, Erik and Boone looked at each other and just shrugged. ED-E beeped out of curiosity and Arcade pursed his lips as he looked at Eleanor.

"The Strip's not a bad place if you love terrible things and people." He spoke up sarcastically making Eleanor snort amused. "I'll never understand the allure of giving away your money to the rich," Arcade stated making Veronica glare at him.

"Stop ruining the moment, Arcade!" She exclaimed crossing her arms. "And my dreams." Veronica quickly added.

"Children. Relax." Killian hummed holding up his hand. Eleanor shook her head and started walked ahead. ED-E quickly flying to her side and the others following behind - Veronica jogging to catch up with Eleanor.

"We get to Benny. You guys stay outside. I want to handle this myself." She explained to them, Boone gave a curt nod, while Killian, Veronica, and even Arcade looked reluctant to agree. Erik simply took one look at Eleanor noticing the look on her face and nodded.

"Got it." Erik agreed, elbowing Killian lightly. The man sighed and nodded, Arcade and Veronica following in suite as they continued on. Eleanor looked around the strip curiously as she walked, before suddenly stopping and frowning at the sight in front of her. There he was. Victor from Goodsprings. 

"Victor?" Eleanor exclaimed confused as the robot spotted her as well. Victor wheeled up to her and the others beaming with excitement.

"Howdy, pardner! You've come a far piece, haven't you? Welcome to New Vegas!" He greeted Eleanor cheerily, Veronica and Arcade confused and curious, while Erik, Killian, and Boone just listened. All three had met Victor, so they weren't bothered. Eleanor knew that, so she'd let the others explain to Veronica and Arcade.

"What are you doing here?" She asked Victor confused.

"Consider me your personal welcome wagon!" He cheered happily, Eleanor hearing a quiet groan of annoyance from Arcade. "Now hear this - the head honcho of New Vegas, Mr. House, is itching to make your acquaintance. Just head for the Lucky 38. It's the big ol' tower shaped like a roulette spinner." Victor explained, Eleanor letting out and breath as she nodded.

"Tell Mr. House I might stop by. We'll see." She told Victor, she would have to think about it.

"Don't you dawdle, little doggie!" He exclaimed, Eleanor, looking at him amusedly at the nickname. "Mr. House isn't someone you want to go about snubbing. He'll be waiting." Victor finished making Eleanor frown. Now she was wary of House and not starting to take a liking towards the man. Eleanor simply just nodded as Victor rolled away from them and she turned around.

"I don't like this. I don't trust this house." She voiced her thoughts.

"And you shouldn't. New Vegas is better off without him." Arcade responded almost immediately.

"Yeah. He doesn't take to kindly towards my people either." Veronica agreed with Arcade in a manner.

"His robots annoy me." Erik shrugged, Boone just nodding along.

"Look. House is someone living in the past. That's not what the wasteland needs." Killian began explaining to his friend, as they started walking again. "What we need is an independent Vegas with some type of order, but still have freedom. House holds onto old world ideas too heavily, Elena." He shook his head, Eleanor listened quietly when they came up to the tops.

"Yeah. I see where you're coming from...and to be honest. I agree, Killian." Eleanor replied as they came up to the door at the tops. "Alright, stick outside. I'm dealing with Benny." She told them her hand reaching for the door.

"Be safe, lass," Erik told her, Eleanor giving the man a small smile. She opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind. She turned to be greeted by a man as she walked up to the receptionist desk. Eleanor took a quick glance around noticing the tacky appearance in her opinion of the tops. To put it lightly. It was an ugly building.

"Hey, hey, baby doll, welcome to the Tops Hotel and Casino!" A man greeted her smoothly making her purse her lips. "I'm going to have to ask you to hand over any weapons you might be carrying." He asked her as she sighed and nodded.

"Sure, here you go." She handed her weapons to him, placing them on the counter in front of her, but kept a silent .22 pistol and switchblade she'd found with her. She wasn't going to confront Benny completely unarmed. No way.

"Smooth and easy, just the way I like it. Don't worry, they'll be as safe as kittens till you're ready to leave." He promised Eleanor who simply nodded. "Oh, and a friendly word of advice: if you happen to "stumble across" any weapons during your stay here, well...just don't wear them openly. You dig?" The greeter said to Eleanor, Eleanor smirking slightly at that. Yeah so much for rules.

"Yeah. I dig." She nodded, the greeter grinning in response.

"Now that we go that little business out of the way, what can I do to make your Tops experience the tops?" He asked her, Eleanor refraining to roll her eyes at the obvious pun spoken.

"Nothing I can think of. I'll just do some wandering." She stated crossing her arms, the man nodding.

"Have a good time then, baby." He smiled smoothly, as Eleanor walked away and made her way over to the game area looking around for Benny.

"Son of a bitch." She whispered at the sight of the man in question at the far end of the room and smirked. She hopped over the railing and landed on the ground, she started walking over to the end of the room where Benny stood surrounded by bodyguards. She made it over there and walked up the steps as she cleared her throat. Benny turned around confused before his eyes widened at the sight of Eleanor in front of him. She grinned, now it was her turn to fuck everything up for him. Benny froze as he looked at her, before stuttering out in shock.

"What in the goddamn...?"


	9. Benny's Deal.

"What in the goddamn?!" Benny exclaimed at the sight of Eleanor in front of him. The woman in question crossing her arms as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. This should be interesting. Benny let out a nervous chuckle raising his hands slightly, looking down at Eleanor. "Let's keep this in the groove, hey? Smooth moves, like smooth little babies..." He suggested with nervousness, Eleanor narrowed her eyes at him and uncrossed her arms.

"Seems you need to work on your marksmanship, Benny." She remarked speaking for the first time, which startled Benny.

"I hit what I was aiming for." Benny started saying, regaining his composure. "Guess you had brains to spare. Or are you just thick-skulled?" He continued making Eleanor glare at him. "Either way, baby, this is good news. Maybe I can finally sleep at night, knowing you didn't die." Benny let out a breath as he spoke. Eleanor rolled her eyes at that, oh so he had a conscience. Shocking. "What say you and me cash out, go somewheres more private-like? Any questions you got, I'll answer." He finished telling Eleanor.

"What'd you have in mind?" She asked him after a moment.

"To start, I'll comp you the Presidential - best suite in the house. You deserve a taste of the VIP lifestyle." He began explaining to Eleanor. "I'll hang out down here for a while to make everything look business-as-usual, then come to you. Any questions you got, I'll answer - guaranteed." Benny concluded telling her, Eleanor shaking her head. She wasn't taking chances.

"Two conditions - lose the bodyguards, and we both go to the suite now," Eleanor demanded, raising a hand to keep Benny from speaking until she finished.

"If that's what it takes to win your trust, that's what it takes. Follow me." Benny nodded ahead, as he started walking.

"Yeah, good luck on the win trust, asshole," Eleanor whispered to herself, no one else hearing her before she followed after Benny. "Just want to tell you if anything goes down. You'll regret it." She stated threateningly as they came up to the elevator.

"Got it. Got it." He raised his hands in surrender. "Nice scars by the way," Benny muttered gesturing to the scar on right eyebrow and the scar from the bullet. Eleanor chose not to respond as both stepped into the elevator and headed upstairs. Once they got to the presidential room, Benny immediately went over to the bar and sat down, pouring himself a drink. "Have a seat, baby - let's get this kicking." Benny called over to her from where he sat.

"If he calls me baby one more time..." Eleanor growled lowly, but walked over to the bar and sat on the second stool to Benny's right. "Alright, Benny. Let's talk." She spoke her, right elbow resting on the bar counter.

"Now that you and me's got some privacy, I gotta ask - how is it that you're still living?" He asked her confused as Eleanor sighed. Really? This is what he wanted to ask.

"A Securitron dug me up and a doc in Goodsprings did the rest." She answered shortly as Benny's eyes widened.

"House was on to me from word Go? I thought I was being so clever..." He trailed shocked at this revelation.

"Apparently not," Eleanor mumbled.

"Once you were vertical, how'd you track me down?" Benny continued asking questions, which started to annoy Eleanor.

"Seems you dropped something in Boulder City." She remarked, pulling out Benny's lighter and putting it on the counter.

"To think I deemed that flint box my lucky charm. Oh, the irony..." He hummed to himself. "I guess that's enough scratching around at first base. Tell me, which way is the wind gonna blow?" Benny changed the subject, which Eleanor was pleased about. She was tired of speaking about how she survived.

"I've got questions - a bunch of them." She responded to him.

"You got questions, I got answers." Benny nodded curtly.

"First things first. Tell me about the Platinum Chip." She demanded from Benny, she didn't want any crap. She wanted to the truth, or as close to the truth as she would get from this guy.

"It's the House edge, baby - literally. It's what Mr. House needs to stack the odds in his favor." He explained shortly to Eleanor who nodded. Made sense to have something against the legion and NCR.

"How's the Chip work?" She asked him curiously.

"It's some kind of data storage device, dig?" Benny started telling her before stopping and looking at her for a nod, which she gave him. She knew what he was saying so far. "So it's the data on the Chip that's platinum, not the Chip itself. Trouble is, the Chip don't fit any computer I've found. Must require special hardware." He finished with a shrug.

"What does the Chip do?" Eleanor continues, Benny seeming to take her questions in strides.

"It has something to do with the Securitrons, I know that much. Upgrades their hitting power, gives them heft." He informed Eleanor, making her frown confused. They were already pretty powerful all alone, but what does the chip do to them? "Might be slightly useful, if you're looking to defend the Strip from Caesar's Legion or the NCR. Or maybe both?" Benny suggested to her, Eleanor, humming to herself.

"The Chip belongs to me, Benny. Hand it over." She immediately ordered afterwards. That's all she came for, Benny and the chip.

"Baby, ease off the gas. The Chip belongs in the hands of someone who can use it. As in me, not you." He raised his hand to calm Eleanor and stop her. Eleanor returning the gesture with a glare. "You'll get a piece of the action, and a sweet one. But the Chip sticks with me." Benny finished telling her.

"What's your offer?" She asked with a sigh.

"You help me, and before long the Chairmen will rule all of Vegas, dig? With enough robot muscle to back it up." Benny began explaining his plan to Eleanor. "You'll get a sweet, juicy cut of that action. But until that day comes, I'll keep you on retainer, and pay bonuses for 'special missions.' How's that sound?" He offered her the deal, Eleanor stopping for a moment to think.

"Answers first, then I decide." She stated firmly, from their Eleanor asked Benny more questions. She wanted to know almost everything. She didn't trust this man a wink. Why the hell did he think she'd want to work with him? Eleanor prodded Benny endless on everything from the chip to the factions of New Vegas. Once she knew what she wished to know, she was ready to give the man an answer. "Like I'd trust you? No thanks." Eleanor laughed sarcastically while shaking her head.

"I know, you figure me for a creep. It's your prerogative." He shrugged awfully calm making Eleanor deeply suspicious of the man. "If you change your mind, come find me on the casino floor. In the meantime, the Presidential is yours whenever you want it. Adios." Benny breathed Eleanor watching him stand up slowly from his seat and begin to leave. She watched the elevator door open and Benny enter before the door closed and the elevator left. Eleanor froze for a moment, what the fuck was she doing? She just let the guy go. She stood up as she heard a ding from the door. She quickly took out of pistol she brought as four chairmen bodyguards came out of the elevator guns at the ready.

"FUCK!" Eleanor yelled quickly ducking behind a pool table as they shot at her. Eleanor peaked around quickly taking out two with his pistol, before ducking back behind. "This is what you get Eleanor, for being an idiot." She hissed to herself angrily. She moved around again shooting the last two chairmen, before getting up and running over to one who was barely alive. "Where did Benny go? Tell me!" Eleanor demanded with a shout.

"His-his room. He bolted. He took a secret passage." The guy coughed up blood before dying Eleanor quickly stood up and looked around. How could she let this happen? Did she really want revenge as bad as she thought she did? She didn't understand, she should've just shot him and taken the chip. Now she would have to follow after the coward and get the chip. She was screwed. She looked down before cursing to herself.

"Goddamit."

-8-

Eleanor swung the door of Benny's room open making it slam loudly into the wall. She was absolutely furious with herself right now. If Benny wasn't here and escaped through the secret passage the lackey of his mentioned. She once again would have to go after him. She had just found him and she didn't want to deal with this crap, but because she let him walk away. She would have to. "Where the hell are you, you fucking bastard." Eleanor cursed quietly, practically turning the room upside down to find anything. She stopped and froze as she spotted a door at the end of a small hallway to her right. "Let's hope this is it." She muttered to herself and walked down over to the door. She opened to the door and came to a stop of confusion and shock at the sight of a secret room, but not only that. A securitron exactly like Victor stood only in the room, only this one had a face that was smiling very brightly. Eleanor bit her lip anxiously hesitantly stepped forward into the room until she came face to face with the securitron. 

"Hey! Hi there, good to meet you!" The securitron suddenly exclaimed happily, startling Eleanor who jumped slightly at his sudden exclamation. "What can I do for you today?" He asked her brightly.

"What are you doing here?" She asked the securitron confused, why was one of House's securitron's here?

"Good question!" He said in a bubbly tone. "My function is to monitor Mr.House's data network and decode his encrypted transmissions!" The securitron informed her, making Eleanor's eyebrows raise. He was very forthcoming with his information. "Allow me to introduce myself! I'm a PDQ-88b Securitron, but you can call me Yes Man!" Yes Man introduced himself to Eleanor.

"I'm Eleanor." She responded shortly, before continuing. "Yes man? What kind of name is that?" Eleanor questioned.

"It's what Benny always called me. Probably because I'm programmed to be so helpful!" He answered her cheerily.

"I wouldn't have guessed that." She remarked sarcastically under her breath. "Have you seen Benny?" Eleanor asked Yes Man, changing the subject.

"Sure! He came through here in a big hurry - didn't even stop to say hello! I think he went down his secret escape elevator out there in the hall!" He started blabbering to her, Eleanor nodding. If Yes Man was programmed to very helpful, he could help her.

"Benny stole a Platinum Chip from me. Do you know what it's for?" She continued asking him.

"Sure! Benny had me look at it a bunch of times! It's a data storage device, kind of like a holotape, but a lot more advanced! As for what's on it, well..." Yes Man trailed as he spoke to her. Eleanor frowned when his words trailed off. "Some of Mr. House's data transmissions made it sound like the Chip could upgrade his defenses somehow! That's just a guess, though! The Chip's a proprietary format! You'd need special hardware to read the data on it!" He continued telling her everything. Eleanor guessed House probably had something to read the data on the chip. "There are two locations with non-standard hardware on the network - the Lucky 38 and an underground facility at Fortification Hill. I'd look there!" Yes Men finished finally, Eleanor hummed to herself, before inquiring.

"What's Benny planning to do with the Chip?"

"Oh! He wants to kill Mr. House and use the Platinum Chip to copy my neuro-computational matrix into the Lucky 38's mainframe." Yes Man started explaining Benny's plan to her. "That should give me control over all of Mr. House's defenses, most prominently his Securitrons. ANd then I just do what Benny tells me - easy peasy!" He exclaims, Eleanor, taking a breath.

"You're very...forthcoming with that information." She said slowly to him.

"I was programmed to be helpful and answer any questions I was asked. I guess nobody bothered to restrict who I answer questions for." Yes Men answered her with a shrug. "That was probably pretty dumb, huh?" He asked her.

"Yeah...I don't think they thought it through." Eleanor nodded, she stopped then as an idea came to her mind. She wanted to stay out of this fight, but the problem was the outcome would affect her as much as everyone else. If the Legion won everyone would be slaves if the NCR won well....she doesn't particularly care much for them and unless the people are NCR citizens they are very uncaring, and well...House. It was like what Killian said House was living in the past. She didn't have to kill him, but she could pause him. Just depends. New Vegas needed independence. Freedom from the Legion and NCR and free from the past with house. So she would need Yes Man's help with this. "What if I wanted to take over New Vegas, instead of Benny?" She suddenly asked the securitron.

"Then I'd have to help you! I mean, it seems pretty obvious Benny wouldn't want me to, but hey, not my fault I can't say no!" He responds to her ecstatically. 

"What are the details of the plan, Yes Man?" She asked him.

"Again, goal number one is to eliminate Mr. House and install my neuro-computational matrix on the Lucky 38's mainframe!" He started explaining the plan details to Eleanor. "Given how you're a new arrival, I also recommend that you get to know some of the region's tribes, so you can decide how you feel about them! By the time you've finished up all of that, the Legion should be close to attacking Hoover Dam and we'll execute the last phase of the plan!" Yes Man finished telling her everything.

"Say Mr. House was going to suffer an accident. How would that happen?" Eleanor questioned him.

"It makes me feel really dumb to admit this, but I don't actually know! I've never been inside the Lucky 38. No one has!" He admitted sheepishly, Eleanor shaking her head amusedly. "Mr. House is in there, though! It's the central node of his entire network!" 

"I've been invited to visit the Lucky 38." She informed him.

"Wow!" He exclaimed in surprise. "Do you have any idea how special that is? Red carpet treatment. Seems a little mean to use his invitation against him like that, but I'm sure it's all for the best." Yes Man continued rambling to her. "I mean, Benny was always scheming about how he was going to get into the Lucky 38, but you already took care of that. Wow! The other thing you're going to need is the Platinum Chip." He continued, Eleanor, standing straight a little at the mention of the chip. "You know, the one Benny killed a courier for, over near Goodsprings?" He finished Eleanor's face falling to an angry stare.

"What do you know about the courier Benny shot?" She asked bluntly, Yes Man began to answer not noticing Eleanor's reaction.

"I know she was carrying the Platinum Chip! And I knew right where Benny should wait for her!" He exclaimed Eleanor's jaw clenched. She didn't blame Yes Man as he was programmed to do anything, but Benny always knew she would be there. "That's why Benny put me here! To monitor Mr. House's data transmissions. They're all encrypted, of course - but I'm quite a decrypter!" Yes Man continued on happily oblivious to Eleanor's face. "Did you know that Mr. House spent 812, 545 caps hiring salvage teams to find the Platinum Chip - just in the last year alone?" He asked her when Eleanor didn't answer he happily went on. "Of course you didn't! Or that there were seven couriers, but six of them were carrying junk? How about their exact routes, and the mercenary teams that screened them? I knew all that. Pretty smart, huh?" Yes Man spoke with slight smugness in his voice.

"I'm the courier Benny shot," Eleanor responded through gritted teeth, making Yes Man stop and stare at her.

"Hahaha! I know that's not true, because you still have a head!" He laughed waving her off.

"I'm serious." She stated slightly pissed off.

"Hahaha! That's not funny, you getting shot in the head." Yes Man said laughing again, but realizing what he did. "I really shouldn't have taken so much pride in how I set that up, huh? I feel really bad right now." He said with deflated emotions, Eleanor sighed and crossed her arms.

"No, I blame Benny for executing his plan that got me shot. You just did what he asked." She told him, before pausing, Yes Man looking relieved that she seemed to not be angry with him. "Anyway. Benny seems to have run off with the Platinum Chip." Eleanor added after a moment of awkward silence between the courier and securitron.

"No kidding!" Yes Man continued after 'clearing his throat'. "He was running fast! He better pace himself - he has to run all the way to Fortification Hill! There's an underground facility there that might have the special hardware required to use the data on the Platinum Chip!" He informed her. "It's too bad Caesar's Legion built its camp right above it. Talk about inconvenient! The Platinum Chip is the key to overriding and exploiting Mr. House's defenses!" Yes Man said to her. "Did I just say "exploiting?" That's not a very nice word!" He chastised himself.

"Once I get the Platinum Chip, what then?" Eleanor questioned the robot.

"I'd take it straight to Mr. House if I were you! He'll think you're helping him out! Then when he's not looking - KER-POW!" He exclaimed animatedly, Eleanor raising her eyebrows in response. "The big question is whether to give him the Chip before you do him in! He's the one who'll know exactly what to with it, after all! He might upgrade his defensive capabilities right away! Or even unlock new ones! But then those defensive upgrades might make it harder for you to finish him off! Hard to say! It's up to you! Let me know when it's done and I'll roll over to the Lucky 38. If I'm right about the Chip, I should be able to install myself on House's mainframe." Yes Man said to Eleanor happily. "This is going to be great! I'm going to help you accomplish so much, whether I want to or not!" He grinned cheerily. From there Eleanor continued asking Yes Man more questions from about the tribes to the Fort.

"I'll be back, Yes Man." Eleanor said after finishing with the questions she had for him. She knew the Fort was where Benny was heading for now. Also, she was officially in charge of bringing the Legion and Mr. House down. What an interesting turn of events, she did not see this coming. Yes Man nodded brightly and spoke cheerily.

"Come back later if you need anything!"

-8-

Eleanor stepped out of the Tops after collecting her weapons and she now had a plan, a long-term one. Now she just needed to find Benny and the chip, then deal with Mr. House. She definitely knew how much of a pain in the ass that would be for her. She was set with her weapons as soon as she stepped out the door, only to be greeted by a man in a suit, wearing a hat. A man that looked vaguely familiar to her, like she had met him before. "The eyes of the mighty Caesar are upon you. He admires your accomplishments and bestows upon you the exceptional gift of his Mark." The man - she now recognized as Vulpes Inculta aka Fox-boy - said to her, handing her a necklace with a bull on it. "Any crimes you may have perpetrated against the Legion are hereby forgiven. Caesar will not extend this mercy a second time." He warned her, Eleanor silently scoffing.

"My lord requires your presence at his camp, at Fortification Hill. His Mark will guarantee your safe-conduct through our lands." Vulpes continued on speaking to Eleanor who just listened, the woman in the corner of her eyes spotting her friends on the other side of the street sitting on the benches speaking. "Incidentally, it will interest you to know that the man you seek has fled the Strip, and is likely making haste for Caesar's camp as we speak." He finally finished saying to Eleanor.

"You again?" She laughed with sarcasm. "How'd you find me here, Fox Boy?" Eleanor asked him, the man clenching his jaw and rolling his eyes. Eleanor smirked slightly at the man irritation with her.

"I am the greatest of his Caesar's Frumentarii. It was not a challenge to find you. Nor is this my first visit to the Strip." He explained to her shortly.

"Why does Caesar want to see me?" Eleanor questioned him, crossing her arms when she spoke.

"Go to him, and you will understand. Seek Caesar by the way of Cottonwood Cover, south of Nelson. The Cursor Lucullus will be waiting." Vulpes simply responded, Eleanor, pursing her lips at that. Once he finished speaking Vulpes simply nodded and walked away. Eleanor turned just as Killian, Erik, Arcade, Veronica, Boone, and ED-E came over to the woman after spotting her.

"Who...was that?" Veronica asked slowly looking at her friend.

"Vulpes Inculta." She answered Veronica.

"Let me guess, Caesar offered you something?" Arcade guessed with some sarcasm.

"Yes, he did." She hummed nodding.

"What are you gonna do?" Boone spoke up curiously.

"Use it against Caesar." Eleanor began saying surprising everyone. "I have no love nor loyalty to the guy. The first chance I get. I'll betray him. Second I'll kill him. Do the whole wasteland a favor." She commented no one arguing about Eleanor's words.

"Elena, where's Benny?" Killian finally asked the question everyone had been wondering the answer to.

"Gone." She stated.

"Gone? You mean the fucking bastard escaped justice!?" Erik exclaimed in anger. How the fuck would Eleanor get justice now? Benny was gone, her attempted murder vanished.

"I got distracted. He tried to offer me a deal. Booked it and set his goons on me." She began explaining to her friends with a sigh. "I followed his trail and met someone...who gave a better offer," Eleanor said vaguely confusing everyone.

"Who?" Veronica, Arcade, and Killian asked simultaneously while Boone and Erik frowned, ED-E letting out a confused beep.

"His name is Yes-Man. He was a robot, one of House's that Benny reprogrammed. He tells you anything. We've agreed to work together." She informed them, everyone's eyes widening at her words. "We're gonna end this stupid ass war. Finally."

"Coming from the woman who said she didn't want to get involved," Erik commented with some sarcasm, making Eleanor give him a sharp look.

"Things have changed. The game has." She told him. "I'll explain more later, but now. I've got to go to the Fort. Benny ran that way." Eleanor continued speaking to them. She understood their shock, but this was a chance to stop this war. She was in the game now, the game ones with power in the wasteland played. She wasn't going to give up her hand. "Arcade, Veronica, and Killian will go with me. The rest of you. Stay at the tops or go to the Kings. Okay?" She raised an eyebrow while speaking to them.

"Sounds good. Let's get Benny's ass kicked." Veronica nodded enthusiastically.

"This is gonna be fun," Arcade said dryly but agreed to go.

"Alright, Elena. Let's go this." Killian nodded and sighed. Eleanor gave the three a thankful nod.

"Speaking of Caesar...after this how will you deal with him?" Erik asked curiously.

"Yeah, it's not like you'll be able to just step in and kill him." Boone nodded in agreement with his friend.

"I'm sure Yes-Man and I can find someone good and willing...assassination." She shrugged whispering the last part. None made a move to protest, Caesar being dead would do more good on the world than harm. His Legate was not nearly as smart as him. Eleanor took their silence as no protest, especially with the looks of agreement on their faces and nodded. She took a deep breath and spoke.

"Let's bring him down, piece by piece then."


	10. The Fort.

"So, he just pretty much ran, his guys came after you...and then you found the robot Yes-Man?" Killian asked slowly, as the four of them walked next to each other. They were heading towards cottonwood cove to accept the invitation from Caesar, but really Eleanor was just getting Benny's stupid ass after dealing with Mr. House. Arcade and Killian were right, hell even Yes-Man. Mr. House had stood in the way of change, he wanted to go back into the past. The past was the reason they're stuck in this world in the first place. Stopping him was a responsibility of hers, no matter what. Eleanor sucked in a breath and glanced at Killian giving him a curt nod. "So, you have gotten Mr. House out the equation. What about Caesar? I know we asked but still." He inquired curiously, Arcade and Veronica glancing over at them listening curiously.

"We can't let him go, so we just have to figure out a way to stop him." Eleanor began to say to him. "I mean the Legion is next to useless without him. Bunch slaver fucking idiots." She added, no one objecting as Veronica snorted.

"You just about described them to the T, Eleanor." Arcade remarked looking at her as she shrugged.

"I try my best." She joked, Arcade smiling amused.

"As long as his 'I'm so much better than you' personality is gone. I'm down with it." Veronica piped in, herself, Arcade, and Veronica chuckling.

"Hey, guys. We need to keep it hush. We're here." Killian interrupted, nodding down below where cottonwood cove sat. She sucked in a breath and nodded as they walked down the hill only to be met by a legion explorer who ran up to the four of them.

"Halt! What business have you in Cottonwood Cave, outsider?" He demanded glaring at them. He was friendly.

"I was invited." Eleanor simply stated, pulling out the Mark of Caesar and showing it to the man whose eyes widened.

"You wear the Mark of Caesar?! You must be who Cursor Lucullus is waiting for." The man said in shock staring at Eleanor. "You may continue, but be warned. Mark or no, we will not tolerate aggressive action by visitors in the camp." He cleared his throat warning Eleanor who shared a look with the others.

"Got it. No trouble." Eleanor nodded with a bored expression. The man returned the nod with his own as they walked past him and started heading into the camp. "He was a cheery one, wasn't he?" She asked with sarcasm.

"Yeah, you could feel his ass kissing of Caesar radiating off him," Veronica mumbled, Eleanor snorting and holding back a laugh.

"We better be careful, I don't trust anyone here," Arcade warned, looking around cautiously.

"Arcade's right. We don't know what they have planned." Killian agreed with a nod. The group made their way down to the docks where Eleanor spotted a man waiting and a boat or raft of some kind sitting in the water next to the docks. She walked over to the man who she assumed was Cursor Lucullus - the man the legion explorer mentioned to them. Eleanor cleared her throat as the man turned and faced them.

"Ave. Are you ready to head upriver?" He asked her, the man eyeing the other three - which made her nearly roll her eyes.

"I'm ready to travel with you. We all are." Eleanor nodded to Cursor Lucullus. He gave a curt nod and gestured to the boat for them before speaking.

"The trip will take a few hours. Take your places on the boat."

-8-

Eleanor exhaled as the group walked through the gates into the Fort. The place already looked like hell and she could see Arcade and Killian holding back a grimace - Veronica bit her lip to keep from saying anything. They were here for Benny and the Chip that's all that mattered. "By order of Caesar, all visitors must disarm and relinquish all banned items." A legionary guard stopped them at the man gate. She shared a look with Killian who nodded, and she handed over her weapons - minus her holdout weapons, the .22 and switchblade.

"Sure, I agree to disarm," Eleanor said with a fake smile. She gave the others a look when they looked reluctant - except Killian who already handed over his weapons. Veronica sighed and handed over to weapons.

"Your belongings will be returned to you when you leave." He informed them before walking away, Eleanor refrained from scowling at the man as Cursor Lucullus stepped up to her.

"Go to the top of the hill, Caesar will be here. I will wait here until you return." He told her, Eleanor just nodding and walking off with the other three. Veronica gaped in horror at the sight of slaves as they walked up towards the top. Eleanor looked as if she was seething in anger - that one could only see if you knew her, and they knew her. This camp was...deplorable and just disgusting. She saw the way they treated slaves - women more specifically. How could someone want to join the legion? After some walking, they finally made it up to Caesar's tent as a guard next to it simply nodded and opened the tent flap to let them inside.

"Stay back here, just in case. I've got this." Eleanor quickly whispered, holding out a hand to stop them.

"Are you sure?" Arcade asked slowly.

"Yes, I am." She nodded.

"Okay, be safe," Killian told her.

"Hit Benny for me." Veronica grinned, Eleanor shaking her head amused as she headed inside the tent. Ahead in the center of the tent, there was Caesar sitting on his throne. She let out a breath before she made her way over to him - in the corner of her eyes as she got close she spotted Benny tied up to the side. Eleanor stood straight as she stood in front of Caesar who turned from his advisors to look to her - the courier.

"So I finally get to meet the courier who's accomplished so much in so little time." He greeted her, Eleanor keeping quiet as he continued. "That is why I summoned you here, right? I mean a man nearly kills you, and your response is to track him across the breadth of the Mojave?" Caesar said impressed which surprised Eleanor - but she in no way showed it. "You arrive on the Strip and waltz into the Lucky 30 like someone left you a key under the doormat? You visit the Tops, and next thing you know, the head of the Chairmen is fleeing the Strip like a whimpering little pup? But the topper, the coup de grace? Mr. House dies - while you're visiting him at the Lucky 38." He hummed, Eleanor holding back a grimace at that.

Yes, she'd visited the Lucky 38 before she left. Yes, she killed Mr. House - it was for the best. The man was stuck in the past and the past created this mess. She'd found the real man behind the face, in some preservation chamber and shot him. He was old and decrepit, it was mercy in her mind. He shouldn't have lived this long in the first place. "When you set your mind to something, you get results. I like that." Caesar complimented her, her eyebrows raising. For a man who created a people who degraded women, he was quick to compliment one. "The question is...are you ready to get started?"

"How do you know so much about me?" She asked slowly with a frown.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere. It behooves me not to invade the west blind and deaf." He answered her question. "It hasn't been hard to track your progress, Eleanor. It's not as though you've been keeping a low profile." Caesar pointed out, Eleanor sighing quietly. "The time is fast approaching when my Legion will assault the great dam and invade the west. Before that happens, I want Mr. House erased from the picture. Not just the man you killed, but what left behind. His legacy." He explained to her. Eleanor did not like this, she was not here to be recruited by slavers.

"Just let me deal with Benny and I'll be on my way," Eleanor said calmly. She needed it to seem like she didn't care about what any of the factions wanted.

"Benny is my prisoner. You don't "deal with him" unless you've dealt with me." Caesar snapped, but his anger didn't affect her. "Don't worry, you'll get the Platinum Chip he was carrying. And then you'll use it like I tell you to." He told her sternly, Eleanor holding back a glare - but she was pissed. He could not tell her what she could and couldn't do.

"What are you saying I have to do?" Eleanor asked with hesitance.

"Down the hill, at the west edge of camp, is an old building. It was here when the Fort was taken in 2277." Caesar began to tell her, a smirk of victory on his face. "Inside the building is a hatch, and inside that hatch are two steel doors that bear the sigil of the Lucky 38 casino. Now that same sigil is on the Platinum Chip Benny was carrying when we captured him. Isn't that interesting?" He hummed raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, it is." She said with bluntness.

"Even more interesting, there's a slot about the same size as the Chip on the console that opens the hatch. So you know what I think?" He asked her as Eleanor bit her tongue. "I think the Platinum Chip opens those doors - doors that can't be pried open or drilled open or blasted open. Because all that, I tried."

"And once I'm inside?" Eleanor inquired.

"I want you to destroy whatever you find in these. And then I want you to come back here and tell me about it." Caesar told her pulling out the platinum chip from his pocket and handing it to her. "So go to the building and take this fucking Platinum Chip with you. My Legionaries will meet you and your friends there, with your weapons and equipment. Talk to Benny on your way out. He knows I'm going to let you decide how he dies. Maybe you want to remind him." He suggested, Eleanor's jaw clenching. She hated Benny, but...she didn't know if she wanted to kill him.

"I'll talk to him when I get back." Eleanor simply said, Caesar not objecting, but shrugging and she headed out of the tent. Immediately she was greeted by a pissed off Arcade and a quiet Veronica and Killian. They must've heard everything.

"What a load of Brahmin shit! Can you believe that guy?" He exclaimed angrily.

"Dude, shut up!" Veronica snapped at him, glancing at the legion soldiers walking up.

"Keep your voice low, Arcade." Killian whispered to him.

"He's a madman, Arcade. What did you expect?" Eleanor spoke in a low voice.

"Well, yeah! Right. What did I expect? The man's a megalomaniac. He acts like this is some pre-ordained cycle we're returning to." Arcade scoffed, angrily crossing his arms - she couldn't object to his words nor anger. He wasn't wrong. "Of all the people who could learn from our past mistakes, he goes and throws all of our knowledge off of a cliff. Instead of trying to learn from the past, he re-creates it, runs back over the same old barren ground." 

"In no way can I disagree with your words. They're one hundred percent right." She said quietly patting his arm. Arcade looked pleased to see her agree with him. "Come on, we got something to do, before we deal with Benny and the chip," Eleanor told them, though she knew they more likely already knew. "We're going back to the strip first." She informed them, their eyes going wide, but they nodded. From there the group headed back to the strip from the Fort - Eleanor simply saying she had something to do. So, she headed back into the Lucky 38 with Killian, Erik, Arcade, Boone, ED-E, and Veronica, with the Platinum Chip. She headed up to the penthouse alone - leaving the others in the President's Suite - where she had taken care of Mr. House before and spotted Yes-Man waiting for her in the Penthouse.

"Hi! This is big, huh? A very big moment!" He exclaimed cheerily.

"It sure is." Eleanor nodded slowly.

"Here goes! I'll just take that Platinum Chip off your hands, thanks!" Yes-Man said as Eleanor handed the robot the platinum chip. "Wish me luck!" She watched him go over to the computer where Mr. House had originally spoken from and began typing away. She winced as a loud powering up noise flooded the room and suddenly Yes-Man's body short-circuited and collapsed on the ground, as he appeared on the large screen above. "Wow, Mr. House had quite a set-up here!" He spoke from the screen. "I can access his databanks and view telemetry on every Securitron on the network," Yes-Man informed her. "Wait...oh, so that's what the Platinum Chip does! Interesting!" He hummed making Eleanor frown confused.

"Wait? What does it do?" She asked the robot.

"I'll explain later, but Mr. House had a whole demonstration planned for you. Just head downstairs to the lowest level to check it out. You'll see!" He announced to her as Eleanor pursed her lips, but nodded.

"Okay..." Eleanor mumbled, she turned and headed for the elevator - swiping a lighter and some cigarettes sitting on a table nearby as she did. Eleanor stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lower level. The elevator stopped as she stepped out looking around confused at the large room.

"Step closer to the demonstration area, please!" Yes-Man called out. She moved forward going up onto the platform ahead as she looked down below at what looked like maybe a testing area to her. "Okay, so you're familiar with Securitrons by now, obviously! I mean, some of your best friends are Securitrons, right?" He asked her giggling as she pursed her lips.

"Right..."

"Our titanium alloy housing does a good job of protecting our delicate electronic insides from small arms fire and shrapnel!" He began to tell Eleanor who listened quietly. "Our left arm contains an X-25 gatling laser, quite deadly against soft targets at medium range. That looks gun!" Yes-Man exclaimed as the robots below fired. "And for close-range suppression and crowd control, we have this handy-dandy 9mm submachinegun! Nice!" He beamed while the Securitrons fired again. "All of this is old hat, right?"

"Yes-Man, get to the point," Eleanor spoke up, she still had to go back and deal with the bunker and Benny. She couldn't take too long, Caesar already watched her leave the Fort.

"Right! Here's what it gets interesting! Turns out those are our secondary weapons!" Yes-Man informed her, which Eleanor frown. "All this time we've been running the Mark I operating system, which doesn't have drivers for our primary weapons! Imagine!" He continued as she hummed. Yeah, she could imagine. "Now watch this - I'm downloading the Mark II OS to all the Securitrons on the network. Makes quite a difference!" Yes-Man said before Eleanor heard him go silent for a few minutes. "With the M-235 Missile Launcher, we can engage ground and air targets at long range!" He told her, her eyebrows raising as the Securitrons fired off the missiles.

"Wow. Okay." Eleanor said slightly impressed.

"And a rapid-fire G-28 grenade launching system makes us deadly in close-range engagements!" Yes-Man continued his rambles to a quiet Eleanor. "Whoo, look at that!" He cheered after the robots fired the grenade launchers.

"So, you were underpowered, now you're overpowered." Eleanor theorized.

"Yes! Pretty much!" He nodded. "The OS upgrade also includes drivers for our onboard auto-repair systems! Just try to hurt us now! All together, this software upgrade confers a 235% increase in combat effectiveness - per unit!" Yes-Man explained, Eleanor crossing her arms as she stepped closer. "New Vegas finally has soldiers worthy of protecting it! I hope you enjoyed this demonstration! You can come back up and see me or be on your way - I knew you're a busy person!" He finished before everything went silent. - minus the whirring of machines in the room. Eleanor let out a sigh and shrugged, she might as well go back to the penthouse and talk to him. She went back to the elevator and head back up to the penthouse, stepping back in front of the large screen again. "Every Securitron on the network has been upgraded. Pretty neat, huh?" He asked before something printed out below the screen. "Here's a print-out with some additional information!" She stepped forward taking the paper.

"Thanks, Yes-Man." Eleanor nodded before stopping. "You said something about a bunker at the Fort?" She inquired.

"Here's another one of my print-outs! Read up!" He exclaimed printing out another piece of paper as she rolled her eyes. Why couldn't they just talk to her and give more clarification that way? Eleanor simply sighed and turned leaving the room and heading right back to the Fort.

-8-

"Caesar has permitted your weapons to be returned to you while you serve him." The guard told her handing their weapons back over to them all after they entered the old building Caesar wanted them to enter. Though the truth was Eleanor in no way in hell would do what Caesar wanted, she wasn't stupid.

"All right." She said shortly.

"Caesar has put a lot of trust in you. Be worth it." He sneered at her, Eleanor looking unfazed. She didn't care how much trust he put in her. Eleanor was not here working for Caesar. She just walked past him and over to the console sliding the chip into the slot as the paneled doors on the floor slid open and she took out the chip while sharing a look with Arcade and Veronica - she told Killian to stay behind with others to keep an eye on things. The three stepped down the stairs and down the short hall to the elevator - stepping inside when the elevator was called up. The trio stepped out of the elevator and into a room that reminded Eleanor of what a vault probably looked like.

"Looks kinda like a vault," Veronica commented, speaking what Eleanor was thinking.

"Yeah...it does." Eleanor nodded, glancing at the blank screens to her right.

"I'm gonna assume if you had teamed up with House he would've contacted you from there." Arcade hummed, pointing to the blank screens - the biggest just reading 'connection lost'.

"Probably. Now come on. Let's move." Eleanor suggested as they moved forward. After fighting a few robots and Eleanor turning off the security systems - after Veronica got grazed from a shot after the girl insisted they could take all of them. They eventually made it down to a long hall. "Are those...Securitrons?!" Her eyebrows raised at the sight of countless Securitrons behind walls with windows.

"Yes, and this is extremely creepy," Arcade muttered.

"I second that." Veronica raised her uninjured arm.

"Come on, we have to get to the operations console and activate them." Eleanor gestured for them to move forward.

"Well, on the bright side, if the legion comes down here after we activate them. We have an army." Veronica chuckled nervously, but neither Arcade nor Eleanor took her words to heart. The legion were fucking idiots. They continued on until they got to a small command area and Eleanor walked over to the console and placed in the platinum chip. All three looked up startled when the noise of machinery working went off. 

"I guess it worked." Eleanor shrugged. "Come on. Let's get back, we still have to deal with Benny." She said starting to walk away - Veronica right behind her, but Arcade stopped them.

"What about Caesar?" 

"I have a plan for him, don't worry." She assured Arcade.

"Okay..." Arcade said hesitantly.

"Dude, since when has Eleanor not dealt with assholes like Caesar. She took care of House. She's got this." Veronica said confidently, while Arcade rolled his eyes at her arrogance.

"Whatever. Let's just go." Eleanor shook her head and the three left the bunker, heading back up to the surface. The three headed for the door but were stopped by one of the guards again. 

"You've carried out Caesar's will, but I must confiscate your equipment again." He informed them as Eleanor sighed, Arcade looked unbothered and unsurprised, and Veronica pouted.

"Hand it over guys." Eleanor just told them as they did that.

"You're free to leave." the guard simply nodded after they handed 'everything' over. The three headed outside as Arcade mumbled about it being dark and headed up to Caesar's tent. Stepping inside after telling the other two stay outside, she walked up to Caesar who just looked at her with a sense of smugness on his face. Does he really think she did what he wanted? Fucking idiot.

"I felt the ground shake a while ago. I'll take that as a sign you got the job done." Caesar started to say to her. "There are rewards for doing as I command. Today, your reward is vengeance. You get to decide how Benny dies." He smirked, crossing his arms smugly. "Go to Benny, let him know what you've decided. My Praetorians will perform the execution - unless you want to perform it yourself." Caesar offered, Eleanor pausing for just a moment to ask something out of curiosity.

"Out of curiosity. Could I free him?"

"You need to work on your bloodthirst." Caesar laughed. "We won't speak again until Benny is dead. Walk away if you want, but if you do, he's going up on a cross. You're still making a choice." He simply explained to her, Eleanor holding back a glare. They did this for fun. She hated Benny, but she also remembered Killian. He talked about mercy to her a lot. She couldn't forgive Benny or give him mercy. But one thing could give her what she wanted and it wasn't really execution. She turned and walked away from Caesar over to Benny, her arms crossed as she faced the bound man.

"Go ahead and laugh, baby. I ain't blind to the humor in this situation." Benny told her as she rolled her eyes.

"It is pretty funny." She had to smirk at that, he was right.

"Yeah, well, laugh it up on your own time." He huffed at her. "So baby, what did you find down there?" Benny asked curiously, Eleanor kneeling down to speak quietly to him.

"Hundreds of Securitrons. All of them upgraded now, thanks to the Chip." Eleanor said quietly with another smirk, just letting a little smugness into her voice.

"So all this time the old man had an entire army on lay-away? Clever player." Benny muttered in realization. "Just imagine the look on Baldie's face when those Securitrons come pouring out on judgment day! I'd pay to have that bronzed!" He laughed lowly, Eleanor snorting at that.

"I can't disagree there." She admitted, Benny humming and nodding.

"So all you gotta do not is talk to Yes-Man, figure out how to set things in motion." He told her, was he instructing her? Telling her what to do? Helping her?! "Make Vegas a town I woulda been proud of, baby. Let it swing." Benny said content as Eleanor sighed. Shit. She really wasn't gonna do it? Her idea before she was gonna play the card.

"I have to decide what happens to you now." She informed Benny calmly.

"I see. And how's that gonna happen?" He asked her.

"I'm gonna talk to Caesar." Eleanor simply stated making Benny frown. She stood up and walked over to Caesar. "I know you said we wouldn't talk until he's dead, but death isn't enough for him to suffer. Make him start all over again from the bottom of the food chain." She started to offer, an intrigued look appearing on Caesar's face. She'd gotten his attention. 

"I'm listening." He nodded.

"He'll suffer more having to survive without a safety blanket. It isn't just enough to put a bullet in his head." Eleanor began to explain to the legion leader. "Give him a gun with minimum ammo, some food and water, and I can give him some caps. But after that, he's dumped out into the Wasteland to fight on his own. We don't help him, he's gotta survive without help from anyone." She offered with a smirk, dear god did she hope this would work. Benny, however, wore a surprised look on his face at her offer.

"Deal." Caesar nodded, Eleanor noticing some surprised looks on his advisor's faces. "I'll supply the weapons, supplies, you the caps and you take him out there. Like you said he'll suffer more having to survive without his safety blanket." He agreed with the woman, Eleanor returning the nod. "Untie him," Caesar ordered one of his soldiers. "And you go gather a gun with a small amount of ammo and food and water to last three days. Meet her and him down at the gate." He turned another soldier who nodded and ran off as the other untied Benny. "This has been productive, Eleanor. I hope this continues." Caesar said with a smirk, Eleanor knowing damn well it wouldn't. She simply smiled and went over to Benny forcing the man to stand up. 

"Come on. Let's go." She said roughly.

"You saved me?" Benny asked surprised as they headed out of the tent.

"Trust me. It wasn't my first thought." She retorted as they stepped outside to the surprised looks of Veronica and Arcade.

"Uh...I thought we were killing him?" Veronica frowned confused.

"No, he's going to be dumped with a small amount supplies to survive in the Wasteland." Eleanor shook her head pushing Benny ahead. "You're the best at punching, keep an eye on him as we walk." She told Veronica who nodded.

"You think he'll be useful later, don't you? That's why he's still alive." Arcade muttered to her.

"Maybe, I don't know. Now come on. We have tribes to ally with after he's gone." Eleanor shrugged as they quickly headed down to the gate and made their way back to Cottonwood Cove. Once they got out of bounds of Cottonwood Cove, Eleanor gave him the supplies plus caps. "That's 150 caps. Don't be fucking stupid. I didn't convince Caesar to do this so I look like a fucking idiot." She nearly snapped at Benny who looked startled while the other two snorted.

"Sure, yeah, absolutely, baby. I'll do it right." He promised, clearing his throat. "Anyway, thanks for this." Benny thanked her awkwardly as she just gave him a glare. The man turned and started walking away - leaving the other three behind. Eleanor just let out a breath and nodded content with how this went before mumbling.

"All right, let's share the news with Yes-Man."


	11. Oh My Papa.

Eleanor, Arcade, and Veronica arrived in Red Rock Canyon the next morning and headed up to the main house - where Papa Khan would be located. They'd met a Khan wandering around near the entrance that guided them the rest of the way and let them know it was alright to enter the house. "Okay, you guys stay here. I got this." Eleanor told the other two who nodded before she turned and headed inside. Closing the door behind her there were some Khans at a table eating before another Khan spotted her and walked over to her curiously.

"I haven't seen you before - what brings you to the Great Khans?" this khan inquired curiously. 

"Who are you?" She asked him.

"Names Regis - I'm Papa Khan's advisor and right-hand man." He started to introduce himself to her. "I'm also the chief enforcer of the tribe's laws - so watch your behavior," Regis warned her, Eleanor raising her hands.

"I got it." Eleanor nodded. "I'm Eleanor Zhao." She introduced herself, Regis' eyebrows raising in surprise, which made her frown - but she just opted to ignore it. "Can you tell me anything about Papa Khan?" Eleanor asked him.

"Papa is one of the best leaders the Khans have ever had. He's kept us together through all of our hardships, ever since we left California." Regis began to inform her while she listened quietly. "Bitter Springs changed him, though. He started to really hate the NCR after the Massacre, and sometimes I worry that's poisoned his mind." He told her, Eleanor crossing her arms. before questioning the man

"What did you mean about Papa's hatred poisoning his mind?"

"Nothing, forget about it." Regis changed the subject. "I shouldn't be talking about this with an outsider." He said to her, but the word outsider seemed to sound different coming out of his mouth.

"Okay, fine..." Eleanor trailed with a nod. "So...what's your opinion of the NCR?"

"That's a complicated question." He answered slowly. "They've done horrible things to our people to be sure, and I've gladly killed many of their soldiers in battle. But I can't bring myself to hate them the way Papa does. Things would damn sure be better for us if they were in charge than Caesar." Regis began talking to her about the subject. This might be useful in getting the Khans to leave Caesar.

"So if you were in charge of the tribe, you'd fight with the NCR against Caesar if asked?" Eleanor inquired.

"I suppose if asked, I would. But that's a moot point, because Papa's in charge now, and he's not going anywhere." Regis answered with a slight shrug.

"I understand, thank you." Eleanor nodded.

"No problem," Regis replied before walking around her and over to the table where Papa Khan now sat. Eleanor glanced back at the door, she really wished to be honest that Arcade and Veronica were in here. Then she turned to step forward only to nearly slam into someone. She looked up as a man glared down at her.

"I've been warned about you. You are perilously close to making an enemy of Caesar, and that is not wise." the man warned her darkly, Eleanor just returning his words with a glare.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Karl. Glorious Caesar has sent me as an emissary to the Great Khans as a token of our alliance." He answered her, but Eleanor still watched him cautiously. She continued questioning Karl and the man surprisingly answered everything she asked. However, he glared down at her when she finished her questions before stepping to the side and letting her pass. She rolled her eyes with annoyance before walking up to the long table at the back of the room where Papa Khan sat.

"So, the cub enters the wolf's den. What do you want, cub?" Papa Khan asks her calmly.

"Who are you?" Eleanor had asked Papa Khan, it wasn't that she didn't know who he was. She just wanted to know their history, might help better to convince them to leave Caesar. Papa Khan had given a lengthy explanation but Eleanor had listened quietly the entire time. She even asked about the history of the Khans and while she would've loved to sit there and hear every little bit, she just didn't have the time. Pap Khan did scoff when she asked for a shortened version but she did quickly apologize and explain she'd wish to hear everything, but anyone rarely had the time nowadays for the full picture. Which thankful Papa Khan hummed in understanding - though he did tell everything. From Bitter Springs, the NCR attacking them, to now. Once Papa Khan had finished telling her everything, Eleanor had taken a quiet breath before telling the man.

"I've come to ask the Great Khans to break their alliance with Caesar's Legion."

"Have you now? Hmm." the man hummed before continuing. "Well, you're a bold one, I'll give you that, but why should I do this for you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at his own question.

"Do you really think Caesar is going to restore your tribe to glory? You'll be made slaves." Eleanor pointed out hoping the man would see reason with her point. Unbeknownst to her, Regis looked up at hearing her words, the man listening quietly but intently.

"Hah!" Papa Khan just laughed at her words. "The Great Khans will not be slaves. Caesar himself has promised us the land from here to the Colorado and the freedom to raid as we see fit." He explained to her, brushing off her words as if they were nothing. "I won't hear any more talk against Caesar or his alliance. The Great Khans will answer Caesar's call to war, and the NCR will pay for their crimes." Refraining from holding an angry look Eleanor just stayed silent and Papa Khan seemed to accept that, nodding when she stepped away. "Wait, a second. What was your name again?" He stopped her, Eleanor pausing and glancing back.

"Eleanor Zhao." She simply said, the man's eyes widening and he leaned back in his chair seeming to mutter something to himself. Eleanor just shook her head ignoring that before leaving and going outside.

"So, did he agree to leave the alliance?" Arcade asked Eleanor as soon as she stepped outside.

"Please tell me he did, because that means Caesar has fewer guys on his side," Veronica said hopefully while Eleanor took a deep breath.

"He wouldn't even discuss it," Eleanor answered, the two sighing in disappointment. When suddenly the door to the house opened and Eleanor turned around to see Regis closing the door behind him before he faced the three.

"I heard you try to convince Papa Khan not to join with Caesar's Legion. I'd like to talk to you about that for a moment." Regis explained while Eleanor frowned, but nodded.

"What is it you have in mind?"

"You want to convince Papa not to ally with Caesar, right? Trust me, you'll get nowhere just talking to him about it." Regis informed Eleanor who crossed her arms and listened. "He's fixated on restoring the glory of the Great Khans, and he sees Caesar as the path to that restoration."

"So what do I do?" She questioned him.

"Papa can be a stubborn man, but he's not a tyrant. He listens to his tribe, and to four voices in particular; me, Jack and Diane, and Melissa." Regis told her, Eleanor sharing a look with Arcade and Veronica. This was good information. "If you can convince all of us that allying with Caesar is a bad idea, you might be able to sway him."

"Aren't you convinced already, if we're having this conversation?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I have my doubts about Caesar, yes, but I won't publicly go against Papa Khan based on nothing more than doubts." He answered her truthfully.

"Well, I won't lie, that makes sense," Eleanor admitted, Regis nodding at her words.

"I've heard rumors that tribes who aligned with Caesar in the past were torn apart and reduced to slaves - prove it, and I'll back you." Regis continued calmly. Eleanor knowing this was fair and this was necessary. She had no interest in killing a tribe that didn't realize they were being used. Nodding once again Eleanor went on to ask him about the other three and what it would take to convince them to speak up against the alliance.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do to convince everyone." Eleanor agreed, shaking Regis's hand in agreement as well.

"Good. Oh, one more thing: Caesar's representative, Karl, has become fast friends with Papa. Karl's the one who has him so fixated on this alliance." Regis started to say before changing the subject. Eleanor's jaw clenching at the mention of Karl, god did she already hate that asshole. "You'll probably have an easier time of things if you can find a way to get him out of the picture."

"I'll keep that in mind." She said, sharing a look with Veronica who nodded. "I think I know how to do it." Eleanor hummed, Regis nodding.

"I would too, if I were you," Regis said, before turning and slipping back into the house.

"Okay, Veronica head back to New Vegas, get Killian, bring him here. He's the best at finding out information." Eleanor started to plan out. "Arcade and I will go speak to Melissa, we can get Boone and Erik to speak to Diane and Jack. They've seen first hand what happens to drug dealers and women in the legion. Also go to the tops and ask some of Benny's guys if they have spies in the legion camp, see if they can find a slave ledger. They'll be more talkative and open with me and people affiliated with me. Now that Benny's out of the picture. I'm on good standing with the new guy in charge." She ordered before taking a deep breath. This would go down fast and then they could get to the Brotherhood of Steel and the Boomers. Then they would be set and have their allies.

"Sounds like fun, can't wait to smooth talk some drug dealers." Arcade remarked with sarcasm, Veronica snickering slightly.

"Got it, boss. I'll grab Killian." Veronica nodded in agreement. Eleanor smirking and nodding again.

"Good, now let's do this."

-8-

"Regis said she was in Quarry Junction with a group. They're encamped waiting for chem shipments apparently." Eleanor informed Arcade while they stood outside the boundaries of Quarry Junction. They weren't stepping foot in yet until they were ready. They knew Quarry Junction was Deathclaw infested. They had to be careful. Eleanor suddenly sighed and groaned. "Why did it have to be a deathclaw infested area?" 

"It's the Great Khan's. What do you expect?" Arcade said with some sarcasm. 

"Guess we're going incognito." Eleanor remarked, the two crouching low and beginning to make their way based off of her Pip-Boy and Regis' instructions where Melissa was. They knew that Killian and Veronica had the dirt on Karl and that Swank had a spy in the camp and he was currently working on getting the ledger. She knew all of this because she had ED-E be the messenger and before they even reached Quarry Junction ED-E found them and gave the messages. Granted sometimes it was hard to understand ED-E as ED-E was what one would call was a fast talker. Arcade eventually nudged Eleanor as they were sneaking along the cliffs of the quarry and pointed to three people in the distance up on the cliff above. "Must be them...let's hope it is." She muttered.

"I guarantee it's them." Arcade simply said. The two found a path before climbing up to the area where they spotted the people. Their footsteps made the three in front of them turn around in alarm - the two putting their hands in the air in surrender. "Hello, yes. We're people, no we don't want to kill you or take your chems." He snarkily said to the three while Eleanor rolled her eyes.

"Ignore him. We need to talk to Melissa. Regis said to talk to her." Eleanor spoke up and explained. "It's important, it's about the alliance with Caesar." She continued, the dark-skinned woman of the three nodded and they lowered their weapons.

"I'm Melissa. What do you want with the Great Khans? With me?" Melissa responded, stepping forward. "What do want to tell me about the alliance?"

"Regis says I should talk to you about speaking against the Great Khans' alliance with Caesar," Eleanor replied, putting her hands down.

"You can ask, but why would I do that? Karl's told me all about life in the Legion! He says I've got all the makings of a speculatore." Melissa told her, waving her off while Eleanor and Arcade exchanged looks at her words. Eleanor raising an eyebrow and rebutting her words.

"Did he also tell you women aren't permitted to serve in the Legion?"

"That they're usually slaves or wives to soldiers in the legion," Arcade added. "Did he tell you that you are given no rights at all?" He hummed, now raising his own eyebrow.

"What?" Melissa exclaimed with wide eyes. "No, he...what do you mean, aren't allowed to serve? Why would he lie about that?" Her face falling to disappointment and some betrayal.

"Similar to what Arcade said, if the Great Khans join the Legion, you'll be sold as a slave. An officer's wife, if you're lucky." She explained to the woman whose face turned to anger and deep betrayal now. Oh, Eleanor could tell. Melissa was absolutely furious.

"That lying little weasel! I almost fell for it, too!" Melissa seethed in anger, Eleanor and Arcade wearing sympathetic looks. "All right, you've got a deal. You can tell Papa I won't support an alliance." She agreed with a bob of her head.

"I'm sorry he lied, he manipulated you...I'm sorry." Eleanor apologized with sympathy.

"No, no, it's not your fault. Thank you for telling me though. Both of you." Melissa shook her head, and with sigh turned around and went over to the other two Khans to speak with them.

"I honestly can feel nothing but sympathy for her. The Legion is only full of manipulators and liars." Arcade crossed his arms, Eleanor taking a deep breath and nodding.

"Yeah, come on. Let's go."

-8-

Eleanor stepped into the longhouse - after meeting with Veronica who had the slaver ledger and the journal plus confirmation of everything else. Arcade, Veronica, and Killian were behind Eleanor as she stepped up to the long table. "Ah, Eleanor. It's always a pleasure to see you around the camp." Papa Khan greeted her kindly, Eleanor's expression turning to surprise with a slight smile on her face.

"Really?"

"Yes, your respect for our history and our culture, plus obviously you know about your parentage." Papa nodded, Eleanor pausing at his words.

"No...I don't." She shook her head. Papa tilted his head with his own confusion in his eyes.

"Surely, your name gave it away. Zhao is a Khan name." Papa replied, Eleanor's eyes widening.

"What?!"

"Yes, your mother. She was Khan. She was my half-sister, it's why I was surprised to hear your name." He explained, Eleanor's face adrip with shock. This was her mother's tribe...her mother was a Khan. Killian and the other two glance at Eleanor with concern. "Your father was a vault dweller, last I heard they were somewhere west. You're my niece, which is why I'm here willing to listen to anything you say," Papa informed her before a deep frown came upon his face at her expression. "Eleanor?"

Eleanor swallowed before clearing her throat and speaking up. "I was shot in the head. I survived, but I had no memory of my past. Only a name, an age. And now...I'm learning this..." She trailed off, Papa's eyes widening some anger seen within them.

"Uh, oh...he's pissed," Arcade muttered.

"Benny's so lucky he's not here right now," Veronica whispered, while Killian nudged the two.

"Hush, both of you." He hissed at them.

"You were shot?! Do your parents know?!" He exclaimed but demanded all the same.

"No, I don't even know where they are," Eleanor said before sighing. "Doesn't matter, the man who did it has been dealt with. I'm here about Caesar. All process this later." She changed the subject, she could not afford to get distracted right now. "You should look at this. It's Karl's journal, and it's very revealing of his true opinions." Eleanor told him, Veronica handing her the journal which she handed to Papa.

"You'll find the contents disturbing, Papa Khan." Killian commented.

"Let me see that..." He muttered, taking the journal from Eleanor. The group watching as Papa's face morphed into fury and disgust while he read the journal. "Filthy savages?! Probably have to decimate the lot of them?! Are these the words of our "friend", Caesar?" Papa shouted, making the hall fall into silence, while Karl who sat to Papa's left froze. Papa stood from his chair and looked at the Khans. "Great Khans! Drive Caesar's dog out of our camp! If he's too slow to flee, kill him!" He ordered angrily, and not to Eleanor's surprise instead of fleeing and living to see another day. Karl decided to take on more than four Khans plus her and the other three. It was a momentary shoot out before Eleanor quickly taking out Karl, while Papa sat in his chair with shock. "Give me a moment. I'll speak more then." Papa breathed while Eleanor just nodded and stepped away while Regis stepped up to her.

"Well, Eleanor. You're becoming quite the political agitator. I can't say I'm displeased." Regis smirked while crossing his arms. Eleanor shrugging with a chuckle.

"What can I say? I try my best, Regis." She joked before he became serious.

"I heard what Papa said about your family and what you said. Sounds like some hard shit. I'm sorry." He said sympathetically, Eleanor sighing and shrugging again.

"I just gotta deal with it, though I have more important things threatening my life and others. My past is for later." Eleanor just replied calmly, Regis nodding understandingly. "I got agreement from the others to go against the alliance, have a look at this book. It will show you what happens to tribes that "ally" with Caesar's Legion. You won't like it." She informed the man, handing the ledger over to Regis who quickly looked through it.

"My god, this is even worse than I thought. Okay, you have my support. I'll tell Papa the alliance is a bad idea." Regis readily gave his support to Eleanor. "He'll hopefully be more inclined now after Karl revelation."

"Okay, let's go through with this." Eleanor nodded while Regis stepped past her. The four watching Regis have a quiet conversation with Papa Khan.

"Now that it's realized you're his blood, the Karl situation, and all his closest counselor going against the alliance. Let's hope this is easy." Killian breathed, biting the inside of his cheek.

"I think their best solution would be to leave the Mojave temporarily," Arcade spoke up suggestingly.

"I gotta say. I agree with Arcade." Veronica nodded. Regis stepped away from Papa and gave a nod to Eleanor who stepped back over to the table.

"All four of my most trusted advisors have told me we should break our alliance - maybe I should you out after all. Especially after this incident with Karl." Papa spoke up, Eleanor nodding and a really hoping he would now listen.

"I've come to ask the Great Khans to break their alliance with Caesar's Legion," Eleanor stated strongly.

"I've heard things from my most trusted advisors, Karl's journal, and you being my family convinces me most of all to step away from this alliance." Papa began to say to Eleanor who bit her lip nervously waiting. "But I want to leave a legacy of greatness when I die. My tribe deserves better than this, cowering in a canyon living on scraps. Tell me then, if I don't join with Caesar's Legion, where will I find my tribe's lost glory?"

"I think the best legacy to have is one of survival and enduring. Leave the Mojave temporarily. Return later on." Eleanor tried her hand at negotiating now. "Leave and your people will live on. That's the greatest legacy to have. A legacy of life. You'll be known as the Khan that saved his people from certain death by a tyrant's hands. Then you returned to prosper." She attempted to reason, Papa hummed while he nodded.

"Well-spoken, Eleanor. Just like your mother. Well-spoken indeed. Perhaps it's time to find our own destiny unburdened by the past." Papa agreed with Eleanor which came to the relief of everyone else. "We'll begin readying the camp to move. As soon as Caesar makes his move, we'll depart. We will make ourselves strong again, and we shall conquer!" He informed Eleanor who just listened.

"That sounds wise. I wish you the best." Eleanor bowed her head.

"And I wish you the same, even though you do not see yourself as a Khan. You are one." Papa bowed his head back in response. "We hope to see you again someday, Eleanor, and if you grow tired of wandering, seek us out. You're welcome with the Khans." He stated, Eleanor giving a small smile in return. She stepped away and the small group walked outside.

"Well, good to know that went smoothly." Killian was the first one to speak up.

"Yeah, I was worried they actually would ignore everything and stick with Caesar." Arcade nodded in agreement, though there was some sarcasm in his words.

"Now all we've got left to deal with is the Boomers and the Brotherhood. Which I can take Killian with me and deal with that if you want me to." Veronica offered, Eleanor nodding and facing her.

"Later, for now. We deal with the Boomer's first." She replied.

"What about everything with your parents, Elena? Are you alright?" Killian asked her concerned, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I have no interested in the past anymore, just the future. I don't even know where they are anymore. This war is the more pressing issue." Eleanor simply said, brushing it off. Like she said, she would process it later. Yes-Man had already told her about the Securitrons at the Fort ready to go and she needed to deal with the tribes. Eleanor needed to let him know the Khan's would be no issue anymore. She exhaled and turned with a nod before saying.

"For now, let's inform Yes-Man."


	12. Volare!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: This will cover the boomer's questline before moving onto the dead money storyline. From thereafter completing dead money I will cover some of the main storyline before getting onto honest hearts and doing the same for old world blues and lonesome road before completing the main story and such after the last dlc.]

"Hey, you good, Eleanor?" Arcade asked her concerned while walking next to her. They had gone to New Vegas and informed Yes-Man off the Great Khans leaving the Mojave and Killian stayed behind. It was just her, Arcade, Veronica, and ED-E, her mind still stuck on the revelation of her past. She didn't like it, if she was gonna be honest she didn't like knowing her past. She'd rather just be Eleanor, Courier Six, or just Six. Arcade had spotted her expression while Veronica was behind them interacting with ED-E.

"No, to be honest, no I'm not." She admitted to Arcade who gave her a sympathetic look. "I don't like learning about my past."

"But...isn't it good to learn about your past?" Arcade frowned at her words.

"I don't want to be Eleanor Zhao, I don't want to be a Great Khan, or the daughter and niece of a Great Khan, a daughter of a vault dweller." Eleanor shook her head, while Arcade went silent and just listened. "I'll accept my past, but that's not who I want to be anymore. I just want to be Eleanor, Courier Six, or just...Six. I want to leave it behind." She explained to Arcade who slowly nodded in understanding.

"I get it, I do. More than you think and if you want to do that. Do it. I say do it." Arcade simply responded, making her glance at him surprised. "I'm not heartless, you know that." He gave her a look as she chuckles and he squeezes her hand in comfort. "You're my friend and you always will be. No matter who you choose to be, Six." Arcade gave her a small wink, while she smiled.

"Thanks, Arcade." She breathed when Veronica and ED-E went up to the two.

"First of all, I heard and I happily accept your decision." Veronica started to ramble to the two who shared amused looks. "Second we're heading over to the Airbase, right? To meet with the boomers?" She babbled quickly, while ED-E beeped excitedly and curiously.

"Yes, if they don't blow us up first." Arcade deadpanned.

"Optimism is great, Arcade." Eleanor said dryly to her friend.

"Someone's got to be a pessimist." He just shrugged at her. Eleanor snorting but looking at Veronica.

"Yes, the boomers. They have a lot of heavy weapons on their side. I want them to be our allies." Eleanor began to inform Veronica who readily listened. "I have no interest in killing them." She finished, Veronica nodding.

"Okay and as for the Brotherhood. I'm thinking after dealing with the Boomer's, I can take Erik and Cas to meet with them?" She suggested referring to Cassidy Sharon. Erik had met her five or six years ago and while they had gone to deal with the Great Khans and Benny he met up with her again. She sold her caravan but Erik had helped her figure out what happened to her caravan before inviting her to join them, the woman accepting. Eleanor happily agreed, immediately getting along with the woman. Killian and Boone really stuck around a lot in New Vegas, Killian helping out from there - Boone offering to join them on trips whenever. Meanwhile, Erik would sneak around on random trips while she, Veronica, and Arcade were gone. "Sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds good, Veronica. Just don't get killed, please. Or accidentally let something happen." Eleanor gave the girl a look, knowing Veronica was just as big of a troublemaker as her.

"Yup, promise." She swore halfheartedly, which made Arcade roll his eyes and Eleanor shake her head.

"I never asked...why do you want to do this? Stop this war for the Mojave and get involved." Arcade questioned while Eleanor groaned and Veronica snickered.

"Because I'm an idiot who lives in the Mojave and quite frankly I want to make sure it doesn't go to shit," Eleanor answered with annoyance. "House would've brought back the old shitty world, Caesar wants to enslave everyone within ten feet, the NCR doesn't know their ass from their head. Yes-Man is at least fine with helping people and making sure the Mojave doesn't go to hell. I have...you know...an interest in making sure it doesn't go to hell." She explained in a slight rant, Arcade and Veronica exchanging highly amused looks at her words.

"Makes sense." Veronica hummed.

"I...actually get that. Plus so many hate those three too, so you're not alone." He nodded, patting Eleanor's shoulder. The woman rolling her eyes at him. 

"So how's Rex?" Veronica asked, glancing at Eleanor before continuing. "I know you brought him back to the Lucky 38 to recover from his brain surgery after the King put him in your care permanently. I didn't see him when I went back."

"He's good, I checked up on him when we went back to inform Yes-Man. He just looks tired." Eleanor answered her friend. "He'll be better soon. Doctor Henry said it'd be about a week for recovery." She explained to Veronica who nodded.

"Always wanted a dog." Veronica grinned, Eleanor chuckling and Arcade shaking his head at her. Eleanor looked up ahead to see the hill that would lead to the Nellis Air Force based. She frowned confused at what looked like a person standing up near the top of the hill. "Is that a dude?" Veronica squinted her eyes trying to see.

"I think so." Arcade frowned.

"Come on, let's check it out." Eleanor nodded and the three headed uphill to the guy. The guy quickly put up his hands and stepped in their way, an urgent tone in his voice.

"Whoa there, you three." He stopped them, the trio exchanging confused looks before turning back to him "You better slow down, or you'll get blown up like the rest of the idiots who thought they'd scavenge in Boomer territory." the man warned them, Eleanor sighing to herself. She feared it would be more difficult then she thought.

"Okay, we're not moving forward." Eleanor assured him, the man nodded content.

"Now that I've got your attention, might you be interested in a little information?" the man offered them, Veronica frowning and looking at Arcade who shrugged but Eleanor scowled and eyed him. "It'll cost you, but it's well worth the investment." He added, she did not really trust people who pulled moves like this.

"And we should trust this is, why?" Arcade questioned the man.

"Just trying to give a little help." the man shrugged.

"Right, sure." Veronica muttered lowly.

However, Eleanor's response was much more different, she didn't have time nor patience to deal with this dude. "You can tell me, or you can tell the underside of my boot." She threatened him with a glare, the man's eyes widening and he raised his hands in surrender, Veronica and Arcade watching with smirks of amusement.

"Whoa, simmer down! I'll tell you." He exclaimed alarmed before sighing. "I'm a gambler and a scavenger. I've made some cash from gambling, and some cash from...reclaiming goods that are no longer being used." the man explained before asking her. "Now do you want my help or not?"

"Fine." Eleanor sighed. "Is there a way to get past?" She asked him.

"There is a way, and I'll tell you...for a little wager?" He said slyly, but Arcade and Veronica stepped back slightly when Eleanor stormed forward and faced him.

"No wager. You tell me. Now." She demanded with a growl, her hand resting on her gun. She said it once before, she didn't have time for this man's theatrics. "Or you'll get a shot in the kneecap!"

"Okay-okay!" the man stuttered with panic, his eyes wide with fear. The man shoved his hand into his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to Eleanor shakily. "That page has the details, but it's all in the timing as you move from building to building." He blubbered but Eleanor just snatched the page and walked back to Veronica and Arcade.

"Remind me never to piss you off." Arcade mumbled.

"I'm trying to get the boomers as allies, I don't have time for Mr. Scammer back there." Eleanor said, pointing with her thumb back at the man.

"I'm pretty sure he pissed his pants in fear, Six." Veronica smirked, glancing at the man before looking back at Eleanor who just chuckled.

"Anyway moving on..." Arcade changed the subject, giving Veronica a look to which the woman just responded with a what expression. "What does the page say, Six?" He asked the woman curiously.

She opened the folded page and cleared her throat before reading what it said. "The key to avoiding the artillery is to move from building-to-building up the northwest side of town toward the front gate. Stick to the high cover in the northeast corner of the two buildings, then make a bee-line for the gate." Eleanor read out to the two who listened quietly, they all really hoped that this information on this paper worked, couldn't really afford dying. "The Boomers won't shoot at their own people, so stick to the fence until you make it to the gate. Also, I know there is an old train tunnel that enters the area from the south, but no one has ever come back out of there to say it is safe." She finished reading out, handing the paper to Arcade who held out his hand. "So, what do you guys think?" Eleanor asked them both, Arcade seemed to still be thinking but Veronica answered quickly.

"I say we go to the tunnel and follow the paper," Veronica replied with a shrug. Arcade sucked in a sharp breath and handed back the paper while nodding.

"Agreed, it's our best bet and it makes sense. Logically." Arcade agreed with Veronica. "But ultimately it's up to you, Six." He reminded her, Eleanor bit the inside of her cheek, before nodding as well and stating.

"South tunnel it is."

-8-

After following the instructions of the note, going through the tunnel and encountering some ghouls and having a few near encounters with missiles from the Boomers when following the fence line, something that made Eleanor's heart race and even made Veronica, ED-E and Arcade panic as well. The group of misfits finally made it to the gate, only for Eleanor to bitch at one of the boomer guards which amused Veronica and made Arcade sigh, but ED-E just beeped in excitement. A boomer moments after named Raquel had arrived and taken Eleanor into the base to a building, to talk to the leader of the Boomers, Pearl. "Are you Mother Pearl?" Eleanor asked after she stepped through the door into the home, the older white haired woman greeting her with a wide smile.

"Welcome, child! Took your sweet time getting here, didn't you?" She greeted Eleanor, thought seemingly completely ignoring Veronica, ED-E, and Arcade. "I've been waiting a good five years for an outsider to come along and visit!"

"You mean you were expecting me? Like a prophecy or something?" Eleanor's eyebrow raised in confusion, Arcade grimacing at her questions while Veronica held back a snort.

"Prophecy?" Pearl scoffed at her questions. "Do we look like a bunch of religious idiots?" She asked the woman rhetorically. 

"I would say no." Veronica commented while Arcade said. "No, you do not."

"I just hoped a savage, outsider, sorry..." She quickly corrected herself and apologized before explaining to Eleanor. "...would make it to our gates before one of those armies out there comes knocking." Eleanor listened to her and hummed, nodding when the woman spoke to her. However, she was surprised Pearl knew anything regarding the war outside these fences. "That's right, child. Mother Pearl knows a storm is gathering. Times are changing. May be times for us to change a little, too." Pearl told Eleanor, recognizing the surprise on the younger woman's face.

Eleanor cleared her throat and made the decision, be polite and try not to call them religious fanatics. Though all three of them knew basically, that's what they were in a sense. "How might I be of assistance?" Eleanor inquired calmly.

"Oh, so many ways! Small ones to begin with, so we can get used to what it's like to have a sav-outsider around and about." Pearl's voice was enthusiastic when she spoke with Eleanor. "Should that go well, it may be you can help in big ways, too. We'll have to see." She said with a hum, Eleanor quickly moving on to see what was needed of her. She wanted to get this done and preferably fast.

"Where do I start?" Eleanor questioned.

"You picked a good time to stop by, for we're swimming in problems. My youngers can tell you all about it." Pearl informed Eleanor who was now silent. "Raquel could use help with the bug problem, Doc Argyll has wounded he's tending to, and Loyal and Jack might be looking for help with some repairs. Or you could just go see Pete at the museum and hear the story of our people. All you have to there is listen." She clarified to Eleanor, the young courier listening intently. "Come and go as you like, help, or don't help, I leave it up to you. But I hope you'll show my youngers that not every outside needs to be blown up."

"Well, good news for you, Mother Pearl. I'm going to help in any way I can." Eleanor promised the woman with a small smile.

"Oh, thank you very much. And if you're friends help that will be a big bonus as well." Pearl said pleased with a smile on her own face. "Now, I don't want to keep you any longer. Go, do what you can." She shooed Eleanor who chuckled and turned, leaving the building with the other three.

"Well, Six, I didn't think you'd help." was the first thing that left Arcade's mouth after they left Pearl's home.

"Considering they're a bunch of happy trigger people, I'm not risking it." She muttered to Arcade, Veronica coughing to cover an amused laugh.

"Sorry, it's just...it's true. Like it is with the Brotherhood slightly." Veronica snorted when the two looked at her with raised eyebrows. Arcade sighed and rubbed his eyes while Eleanor glanced at him amused.

"So...what's the plan then?" He asked her.

"Go help the wounded, take ED-E with you, me and Veronica will help Loyal, Raquel, and visit the museum." She explained her plan to Arcade, a small expression of distaste washing over his face at the mention of ED-E going with him, but robot just beeped happily at that - while Veronica looked at Arcade amused and smug. After separating from Arcade and ED-E who went off to help Dr. Argyll, Eleanor and Veronica went off and dealt with the ants before helping Loyal fix and set up the relay, something that for them took at least two days, apparently, according to Arcade he was dealing with multiple wounded boomers. The surgery or operations taking hours. The two were ready to return to Loyal or Pearl until the other boomer Jack nervously approached the two women.

"So you're the outsider...outsiders." Jack quickly corrected himself when he spoke. "Lived your whole lives out there, huh? Wow." He commented awkwardly, Eleanor raising a confused yet amused eyebrow. "I always thought you savages probably spoke a different language, but I hear you sound like us."

"Okay, kid, what is it? What do you need help with?" Eleanor cut into his babbling.

"Yeah, babbling isn't gonna get us to help you faster." Veronica nodded.

"Well, um...you being from the outside and all, well, I guess you'd call it a personal matter but, well..." Jack stuttered nervously, Eleanor and Veronica exchanging odd looks with each other. "Eh, forget it!" He shook his head.

"Right, sure, we can forget it so easily." Veronica sarcastically remarked under her breath, Eleanor refraining from laughing at her sarcasm.

Eleanor opted to step in use her well known silver tongue as Erik and Killian called it. "Where I come from, we discuss personal matter all the time." She smoothly lied to the young man, but she knew. It worked.

"That must be nice, sharing yourself like that, not being embarrassed or anything?" Jack chuckled, his nervous slowly subsiding and he became slightly more confident. At least that's what it looked like to Eleanor. "Well, the thing is, there's this girl..."

"Oh, a girl? Tell me about her." a small smile crept up on Eleanor's knowing face. 

"Oh, this is gonna be quite the story," Veronica commented amusedly. "Six and I, we'll talk to her if you want." She added assuringly, Eleanor looking at Jack and nodding as well.

Their words made Jack before ecstatic that someone wanted to listen, actually listen to him talk about this girl. "Oh, you can't miss her! She has short red hair and she's the most beautiful woman who ever lived!" Jack beamed excitedly, something that made Eleanor chuckle and Veronica almost laugh. "You'd really talk to her for me? What if she feels the same way? What if she comes here like you did?" He babbled off questions, leaving a highly amused Eleanor. "What if she gets blown up? What if she doesn't like me?" Jack's face fell at the last question, Veronica's face showing some sympathy at his last question while Eleanor internally winced at the thought of this kid getting rejected.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down, kid. One question at a time." Eleanor raised her hand and gestured for him to slow down. "You got stay calm and focused for when I do bring her here." She instructed him calmly.

"Oh jeez, I better just let you handle it." Jack stumbled over his words but agreed with Eleanor. "I'm better with machines. They don't make my stomach queasy like this!" he breathed, his face slightly green which took back the two women. Well, they guessed butterflies in the stomach analogy that people from before the war used was right.

"I'll look into it. Stranger things have happened." She reassured him, but muttered the last part to herself, even though Veronica heard her.

"That would be amazing. As in, I would thank you forever." He grinned excitedly, Eleanor just nodding and stepping away as Jack turned and walked off happily.

"Interesting kid, to say the least," Veronica remarked humorously, Eleanor snorting and shaking her head at her friend. Veronica was an amusing person as always. She just adjusted the rifle on her back and started walking towards the door, muttering quietly.

"Let's go be matchmakers."

-8-

Eleanor and Veronica had done as Jack asked, they had met up with the redhaired woman who was called Janet and told her everything. The woman was surprisingly just as ecstatic and awkward as Jack. Veronica practically remarking the woman seemed to be a female version of Jack, something Eleanor snorted at and agreed with. The two had returned to Jack and relayed everything Janet had told them, then more going back and forth much to their annoyance. Eleanor managed to bribe Alice, the head of the Crimson Caravan, the woman didn't give up much of a fight considering now she was under investigation by the NCR, thanks to Cassidy and Erik. Once again after that, they spoke with Jack, got a boomers uniform, convinced Pearl to let her come to the base, and went back to Janet.

The two brought her back to the base and to Jack, the two meeting and already having a stuttering conversation. That was when Arcade and ED-E finally met up with them and the man told them they needed to speak with Pearl. "You have done well to earn the trust of my people, child." Pearl complimented her as Eleanor sat across from her on one of the couches in the home.

"Well, I think. We've done everything we can to help out." Eleanor informed the woman, Pearl humming and nodding.

"I believe the time has come for you to show your value in full." Pearl began to tell the woman, a small frown gracing Eleanor's face. "The people have come to accept having you around. Find Loyal and ask him about our people's fondest dream. He will tell you what to do next." She instructed Eleanor who shared a look with Arcade and Veronica, both shrugging but saying nothing.

"I will do that, thank you." Eleanor gave her a small smile before standing up and heading outside. ED-E let out a small confused sounding beep. "Yeah, I agree with you there, ED-E. Gotta wonder what the hell we're gonna do next for them." She commented offhandedly, Arcade and Veronica sharing a look.

"Well, let's make this talk with Loyal quick and move on," Arcade suggested to her.

"Agreed, we've spent a lot of time here already, Six." Veronica nodded, Eleanor hummed in agreement and the group head back for the hanger where Loyal waited for them.

"Pearl sent word saying it's all right to tell you about the Lady in the water." He called out to her as Eleanor walked up to the man, a confused expression on her face. What was he talking about?

"Lady in the water? What's that?" Eleanor shook her head baffled.

"A question we're all wondering," Arcade muttered under his breath.

"Dude." Veronica hissed, elbowing him harshly.

"A long time ago, long before the war that killed just about everything that ever lived, a bomber crashed not far from here." Loyal began to recite the story to them, all three internally groaning. Fantastic the older timer was going to tell a long story. "A bomber was a flying contraption that could drop explosives down on anything it flew over. But anyway, moving on..." He trailed off before coughing and moving on.

"This bomber crashed down in Lake Mead, pretty damn near intact. When we got to Nellis, see, I found this article in a magazine all about it. There was another B-29 around here, part of a museum. Couldn't fly, but had a lot of spare parts, see? Get where I'm going?" Loyal rambled off to a tired Eleanor, at least she didn't outwardly show her tiredness or boredom. "Since I was a young man, I've dreamed of raising that Lady from the lake and bringing her back to life. What do you say?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow. Eleanor took a deep sigh before asking.

"How do you expect to raise a bomber from the bottom of a lake?"

"Simple! Attach a deployable ballast to the plane and float it on up!" Loyal exclaimed while telling her before he handed her a detonator, Arcade and Veronica's eyebrows raising in surprise. "Here is a remote detonator. Once the ballast is attached to the plane just hit the detonator from the shore and let buoyancy handle the rest." He explained to her, Eleanor bit her lip but nodded.

"All right. I'm game."

-8-

Eleanor had finished speaking with Loyal and was on her way to Lake Mead, alone. She had told Arcade and Veronica that she didn't want to wait too long to speak to the Brotherhood, so she sent them off with ED-E. The two returning to the Lucky 38 to get a small reprieve and inform Yes-Man for her, the boomers would be on their side, she knew they would after this. She made sure to tell Arcade and Veronica, she didn't know when she'd be back or how long it would take. So after getting a rebreather from Jack and setting off the ballast's, she went back to Nellis and spoke with Loyal before going to Pearl. "I've spoken to Loyal. The B-29 is on the way." Eleanor announced after she stepped into the room and sat down next to Mother Pearl.

"What you have done for us is a miracle, child." Pearl said happily with a wide smile on her face. "You have fulfilled the only dreams we ever had outside our walls. You are a trusted friend of us all. If there is ever a way for us to help you, child, tell me and I will make it so." She told Eleanor who hummed but nodded. Oh, she knew a way for sure.

"There may be a battle in the near future at the Hoover Dam, can you offer any assistance?" Eleanor asked curiously, raising a hopeful eyebrow. Their plane would be a giant bonus for Eleanor and Yes-Man at the battle of the Hoover Dam, give them the upper hand.

"Of course my child. After all that you have done for us we would love to help you in the upcoming battle." Pearl readily agreed to Eleanor's proposition and question, something that relieved Eleanor greatly. "After all the training in virtual reality, the young ones would relish an opportunity to put their skills to battle. We'll be there when you need us." She said firmly, hand on Eleanor's shoulder.

"Thank you, Mother Pearl. You help with be appreciated in the future." Eleanor smiled at the woman grateful, before taking a deep breath. "And I must be on my way then." She told her, Pearl quietly nodding.

"Good luck to you, child." She said to Eleanor who just nodded and got up. She left Pearl's house and headed for the gate, stepping out of the gate she started walking and began flipping through her radio channels. Then there was a voice, a voice of a woman from a channel she had never touched before and she stopped and she listened.

"Has your life taken a turn? Do troubles beset you? Has fortune left you behind?" a seductive female voice asked through the radio, a deep frown on Eleanor's face. "If so, the Sierra Madre Casino, in all its glory, is inviting you to begin again. Come to a place where wealth, excitement and intrigue await around every corner. Stroll along the winding streets of our beautiful resort, make new friends, or rekindle old flames. Let your eyes take in the luxurious expanse of the open desert under clear starlit skies. Gaze straight on into the sunset from our villa rooftops." She began listing off all these extravagances, something that confused Eleanor greatly. 

"Countless diversions await: Gamble in our casino, take in the theater, or stay in one of our exclusive executive suites that will shelter you and cater to your every whim. So if life's worries have weighed you down, if you need an escape from your troubles, or if you just need an opportunity to begin again, join us, let go, and leave the world behind at the Sierra Madre grand opening this October..." She continued, her words making Eleanor pause for a moment. Sierra Madre, what was this Sierra Madre? "We'll be waiting." the woman finished her speech as it began repeating again. This Sierra Madre concerned her, she'd never heard of it before and Eleanor felt as if this repeat radio message could be a cry for help. So she made her decision, to follow it. Using her pip-boy Eleanor followed the signal from the radio before coming near Camp Forlorn Hope, the signal leading her to a lonely manhole in the middle of the desert.

"What the fuck...?" She whispered to herself, she stepped over and removed the cover before climbing down, closing the cover behind her. Eleanor realized when she finished climbing the ladder, she was in a bunker, one that seemed abandoned to her. Glancing around she spotted a BOS marker on the wall and a dead body without a head, something that disturbed her greatly. "Why is there an abandoned Brotherhood bunker?" Eleanor asked herself as she descended a case of stairs in front of her. She was cautious, especially when she searched a room with clothing and old food, something that had not been lived in for months.

"There's food and a bed that was slept in..." Eleanor muttered baffled, why the hell would this stuff be left here. "What the hell is this Sierra Madre and why did that message lead me here?" She scoffed in disbelief, pausing when she heard a familiar voice down the hall.

"Has your life taken a turn? Do troubles beset you? Has fortune left you behind?" the familiar voice of the same woman called. Eleanor quickly left the room and looked down the hall to see a lone radio waiting at the end.

"Creepy radio message at the end of the hall, check." Eleanor commented with a deep breath. "Oh, yes this is a good idea, Eleanor. Fantastic." She said sarcastically to herself. "And you're talking to yourself too...grand." Eleanor sighed before shaking her head. "Well, I'll turn it off, the creepy radio. It seems to be the source of this signal anyway." She shrugged and moved forward, the radio message continued playing as she got closer and closer. Eleanor just reached the radio and suddenly there was a spraying noise. She coughed and looked around in confusion as a red cloud was sprayed down upon her. "What?! What's going on?!" Eleanor coughed violently, stepping back confused but before she could move to run, the gas had become too much and she collapsed to the cold ground, unconscious.

The radio continued playing as the gas went on to continue flooding the room around the unconscious Eleanor. "So if life's worries have weighed you down, if you need an escape from your troubles, or if you just need an opportunity to begin again, join us, let go, and leave the world behind at the Sierra Madre grand opening this October..." the voice of the woman practically grinned through her words when she spoke.

"We'll be waiting."


End file.
